Missing Pieces
by PriestessOfNox
Summary: SEQUEL 2 "BROKEN GEARS"! Brainy&Superman's relationship becomes closer w/the same problems as any other relationship w/additional problems like time travel, intercultural confusion & an old Legionnaire that no one will talk about. SLASH. Has LEMON/Lime.
1. Chapter 1

03/21/08

To **LM** who just commented on Broken Gears: B5 getting memories from B1 was an idea I had long before the first season was over so it is by no means foreshadowing to the"Message in a Bottle"episode of the second season. To be honest the second season failed in comparison to the first, in my mind,so I pretty much ignore it's existance except for tidbits here and there I find interesting like Cham and Lightning Lad's sister, etc.. If you're interesting in reading some season two stuff you should read my story When which I have decided to continue... sooner or later.

To everyone, this is my last day of class before Spring Break and, since I have lots of things to work on during this time, such as reading the books to write book reviews/reports/discussinleader projects and attempt to write for books I want to publish one day, this will probably be my last update until my Spring Break is over. I hope you enjoy the wetting of the tastebuds for this new story in the mean time.

Legion of Superheroes Fanfiction

A **Broken Gears **Sequel

Explanations: READ IF YOU WANT STORY TO MAKE SENSE!

Legion of Superheroes: Since I've only seen the animated series this is largely based on that instead of the comic books with some influences from them, making this story slightly Alternate Universe. Most of the changes deal with Brainiac Five. I explained most of these in the prequel **Broken Gears**. More elements from the comics, such as a major character missing in the show from the comics, will have a bigger part in this story.

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ **BROKEN GEARS**! 

IT WILL NOT MAKE SENSE IF YOU DON'T!

The prequel was a crossover with Static Shock and Justice League Unlimited so characters or elements from those shows may come up again here.

WARNING: This is mostly an Alternate Universe story. Also, I'm not afraid to make characters swear. If you can't handle swearing then you may have to block your eyes on occasion. This shall also contain SLASH in the form of two guys liking each other. If you don't like, don't bother flaming. I shall delete them and send COMPUTO after you. 

BIG WARNING: This story is rated Mature for adult themes that shall start after this chapter. Such mature themes include things of a sexual nature...

What am I forgetting? Oh yes, the "No Duh" Disclaimer. I do not own Legion of Superheroes, Static Shock, Justice League or any related characters. They belong to DC, the WB and that one company that won't give up their right to Static so there won't be anymore made. The Bastards…. The only thing that belongs to me is this story and any original characters I throw in for the fun of it. ENJOY!

**Missing Pieces**

Chapter 1

It had been roughly a month since Brainy and Superman had returned from the 21st century and their adventure with Gear, Static, Batman and the other Superman which was this Superman's future self but still past to Brainy in a historical sense… Such headaches came often with their territory of being Legionnaires, particularly when it came to their female teammates knowing smiles and, for Brainy, their energetic hugs. Still, the two weeks since the return from the past marked the two weeks that Brainy and Superman had engaged in, been in a, were-

_Dating_, Brainy forced himself to think, blushing. The very concept that such a relationship had been possible and equally wanted by Superman still amazed him as much as it made him happy.

Still ever since the relationship began Brainy had never felt more stupid, the general feeling being pretty new to him to begin with. He still blushed when he so much thought about the fact that they were dating and he had no idea what he was supposed to do at any given time.

Living in the same room was also very awkward at times. The actual sleeping together, the actual act of sleeping and nothing else like Lighting Lad's crude comments sometimes suggested, wasn't a problem since they had been doing that for nearly a week before their relationship started, but it was the rest of it needed getting used to.

First there was the problem of when they needed to change clothes. Neither was comfortable with changing while the other was there so one of them would change in the attached bathroom while the other changed in the main room. This would be relatively fine if it wasn't for the fact the person changing in the main room felt like they had to rush and the one changing in the bathroom never knew when it was safe to go back.

Then there was the issue of showering. Superman always showered in the morning and Brainy pretty much showered whenever he felt the need to, usually at night after working in the lab. It was very similar to the issue with changing since Brainy typically woke up after Superman when he was in the shower and it felt strange to be in the room when Superman was showering so he'd rush to change and then leave. He wasn't sure is Superman felt the same way about it, but he was never in the room when Brainy came out of the shower.

There was also the difficulty of just being in the room together when they weren't sleeping. It felt like they were supposed to be doing something, like talking even when they were both doing their own thing, usually with Brainy reading and Superman listening to music or writing something. This had gotten slightly better because of Superman would often pull Brainy to sit on the bed with him and their being close made Brainy forget about the silence.

Like when Superman would write they would sit back to back and Superman would write in his old fashion notebook on his knees. It was often very entertaining to forget about whatever he was reading and listen to Superman write, because he would occasionally talk out loud what he was writing, especially when he made mistakes or was pleased with whatever he came up with.

At other times when Superman was just listening to music he would have Brainy sit between his legs with Brainy's back against his chest. He'd wrap his arms around Brainy's middle and occasionally read over his shoulder or just lean against the wall and close his eyes. This had been so comfortable that Brainy had actually fallen asleep like this once and had been very surprised, and slightly embarrassed, to wake up tucked in bed.

It may have been less embarrassing if Superman hadn't been at the desk and heard him wake up at the time. He had turned, smiled and asked if Brainy had slept well.

Meal wise Brainy began to eat more regularly so he could share this time with Superman. It was usually breakfast with the rest of the legion since it was right away in the morning and Brainy would not have had the chance to get caught up in his experiments yet. If they ever had lunch together it was because Superman brought something to the lab and dinner was if Brainy didn't become filthy from his work.

Time was also a major factor in their relationship. As much as Brainy wanted Superman to stay in the future with him he knew that if Superman didn't go to the past to fulfill his role in history that the Legion never would have thought to go to the past to get him in the first place. It was a vicious cycle of headaches.

In the first week of their relationship Brainy forced himself to talk to Superman about it. After explaining the situation, with a lot of hesitance and back tracking since he was afraid he was making it sound as if he wanted Superman to leave, they discussed how they thought it would work.

At first Brainy had thought, to be fair and give Superman plenty of time in each time period that Superman should alternate months in the time periods. A month in the future, a month in the past, then back to the future for a month, etc… but Superman argued that was too much time apart.

Alternating weeks seemed like a good compromise but Superman disagreed. He suggested that, since they would never know when things happened in either time period and that their relationship was new so they should spend more time together then apart that he spend two weeks in the future and then one in the past before coming back for two more weeks. He also suggested that they find a way to send messages across time in case he couldn't come back when he was supposed to.

Brainy agreed and started work on figuring out a way to do such a thing, not bothering to say that he thought it was impossible. It had extremely tough to create a machine as small as the time bubble. He couldn't figure out how to transfer something as small as a message back in forth between time but he wouldn't be a twelfth level intelligence if he didn't try.

When it came time for Superman to leave for the past Brainy kissed him and told him to stay safe.

"We know I'll be fine," said Superman.

"That won't stop me from worrying," said Brainy.

"Then you'll understand that I'll worry like crazy," said Superman, pulling Brainy in for one more kiss before he had to go.

"Could you two get anymore mushy?" Phantom Girl had asked once he was gone.

As it turned out Superman had been right. It was the first week that he went back to the past, only for three days so far, and Brainy already missed him. He had considered going to the past to check on Superman but then scolded himself to thinking it. He knew Superman could handle himself and didn't need Brainy interfering with his normal life.

That thought had worried Brainy though. He knew Superman spending time in the future wasn't exactly normal but did that make it interfering with his life? Was the past the 'normal' part of Superman's life that Brainy couldn't be a part of?

As Brainy worried he only ate when he had to, or when Saturn Girl made him, and he found himself unable to sleep at all. He missed the warm presence beside him, the feeling of being safe and knowing that he wasn't alone. Half the time it felt like he was waiting for Superman to come to bed before he went to sleep and the other half was that he was just physically uncomfortable.

He had gone nights without sleeping before and knew he could go a week without it but he knew he really shouldn't. The energy demands of missions were too great to simply miss out on sleep whenever Superman wasn't around. Still he didn't know what he could do about it.

It began to worry Brainy that it would always be like this whenever Superman was in the past.

For the entire week Superman was gone Brainy barely ate and didn't sleep. He thanked the powers that be that Superman hadn't agreed to his first suggestion of a month or these absences could seriously affect Brainy's health.

Clark must have arrived back in a different room for as Brainy was leaving his lab he nearly fell over when someone hugged him from behind.

"Guess who?" asked Clark, holding onto Brainy with a huge grin on his face and resisting the temptation to kiss Brainy's neck.

Not answering Brainy extended his neck so he could turn his head and kiss Clark on the lips. As they separated, he smiled.

"Good thing I guessed right."

Clark chuckled and kissed Brainy again.

"How were things in the future?"

"Relatively quiet," said Brainy and paused, considering his words. "It was… strange without you here."

"It was strange not being here," said Clark. "I, I hope you don't mind but I told my folks about you."

Though he had known from their trip to the past to see Gear that future Superman had told his parents about him, and planned on telling the rest of the founding members of the Justice League along with Supergirl about him, Brainy was still surprised that he had done it so soon. He felt himself blushing.

"What did they say?

"Well first they were shocked that I had actually been to the future and that you, Saturn Girl and Bouncing Boy weren't really performers," said Clark, looking slightly embarrassed. "And since Ma told Pa you were green he wanted to know if you were a Martian. After that they wanted to know if you could come over for dinner some time."

Brainy blinked.

"They were more surprised that you were in the future then your," he blushed more, "your relationship with me?"

"Pa was surprised because he thought I had a crush on my high school friend Lana but they said that since we don't know anything about my race it might be natural for me to be attracted to someone of my own gender so they've been preparing for such things for years," said Clark, both blushing and smiling.

Pausing to consider this, Brainy recalled that on Krypton homosexuality had been more common and accepted then on Earth during the 21st centaury. In Earth's 31st centaury, with aliens from all over the galaxy and various interspecies marriages, homosexuality was as accepted as easily as it was to say the word.

"Plus, my Ma thinks I have good taste," said Clark with a wink.

Brainy's face burned anew at these words, causing Clark to laugh.

"So, do you think you can make it to dinner?" asked Clark.

Right away Brainy wanted to accept, to be a part of that part of Clark's life but Brainy hesitated. There were lots of things that could go wrong, including anyone seeing him besides the Kents or his presence changing something that was supposed to happen.

"Perhaps."

Suddenly Clark yawned.

"Please tell me its night here."

Brainy smiled, thinking that maybe he wasn't the only one have problems adjusting.

"It's night."

"Thank goodness," sighed Clark, leaning his head on Brainy's shoulder.

When they got back to their room Brainy went to the bathroom to change to allow Clark to do the same in the main room. After waiting an extra minute to give Clark more time, he came back to the room to find Clark already in bed and curled to his side towards Brainy with his eyes closed, one hand resting upturned by his face and the other draped over his stomach.

Brainy almost wanted to laugh at how quickly Clark had fallen asleep but just smiled and knelt down beside the bed, resting his arms upon the bed, his head upon his arms and simply looked at him, a warmth filling his entire being. He reached out and touched the side of Clark's face.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're back."

Still smiling Brainy got up to slide into the bed next to Clark but, just as he was settling in, he jumped when Clark rolled over and wrapped his arms around him, resting his head on Brainy's chest. Though he knew Clark had no idea what he was doing in his sleep, it didn't stop Brainy from blushing. He stilled, scared to make a move that would wake Clark up but relaxed when Clark make no signs of stirring.

Cautiously, Brainy ran his fingers through Clark's hair, smiling when Clark let out a little sigh and snuggled closer to him. He extended his neck and kissed Clark's forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Clark."

Brainy woke up to the sound of footsteps and thought Clark was getting ready to get into the shower. He closed his eyes again, figuring that he would wait to get up until Clark went into the bathroom.

The footsteps then walked back to the bed, followed by the bed shifting with additional weight on either side of Brainy and he felt Clark place a kiss on his cheek.

"You have no idea how happy I am to be back here with you," whispered Clark against Brainy's skin.

Just as it was sinking in Brainy's sleepy mind that was very close to what he had said the night before, he felt something drip onto his cheek. His eyes snapped opened and he turned his head, immediately flushing at the sight before him.

Hovering over Brainy, with his hands on either side of Brainy to support himself, was a shirtless Clark, a small towel hanging from his shoulders and his hair dripping slightly from just being in the shower. Seeing Brainy looking at him made him blush too. He laughed, somewhat nervously, and moved to sit on the bed beside him instead of leaning over him.

"Sorry, I think I just splashed you a bit."

Removing the towel from his shoulders, Clark used it to wipe the water from Brainy's cheek.

This only served to make Brainy blushed more. When the towel left his cheek, he sat up and brought up his knees. He rested his hands on them and tapped his thumbs together, watching them instead of looking at Clark.

"You were awake last night, weren't you?"

"Yeah," said Clark softly.

"I need to stop assuming that you're asleep when you're really not," commented Brainy offhandedly, still looking at his thumbs.

"Or you could tell me things when you know that I'm awake," said Clark, simultaneously tilting up Brainy's face and leaning in.

When their lips touched, Brainy felt like they would part too soon. He reached up and wrapped his arms around Clark's shoulders and deepened the kiss.

Their tongues met for the first time and they caressed each other slowly, softly, getting the feel of the other as if they had al the time in the world.

Both of their faces were flushed as they parted and leaned their foreheads together.

"I love you, Clark," whispered Brainy.

"I love you too, Brainy," whispered back Clark, kissing Brainy again. This time when he pulled away, he absently began playing with Brainy's hair. "Last night was the best night's rest I'd had all week. I don't think I can sleep with you anymore."

"Same here," said Brainy softly, absently rubbing his thumbs on the back of Clark's neck. "It's too bad I can't go to the past with you."

Clark pouted at that and said, "Then I guess we'll just have to keep something of the other with us." He looked around the room. "How about I take one of the pillows and you-" He stood and strode across the room to where his super suit hung over the desk chair. After taking off the cape he walked back over to Brainy and held it up for him to see. "And you take this?"

"Superman needs his cape," pointed out Brainy.

"Superman can get another cape," said Clark, wrapping it around Brainy. "This one will stay with his Brainiac Five."


	2. Chapter 2

03/25/08

I don't know why this story hasn't appeared on the comic's page yet but hopefully it will now that I'm updating it even though I said I wouldn't because I should be working on all my homework... stupid homework...

This chapter is for MaryAna, even though I'm not sure if she's done reading BG yet, because it's her Birthday! Happy Birthday MaryAna, and thanks for all the comments so far on Broken Gears.

Chapter 2

It was the second month of Clark's relationship with Brainy and Clark was beginning to find it just as hard to be with Brainy then to be without him. It wasn't that Brainy was hard to live with or that they argued or even that when they were in the same time period they didn't spend enough time together.

The truth of the matter was that the reason it was hard for Clark to be around Brainy was completely Clark's own fault. In fact, he was even ashamed of it, feeling like he had violated Brainy's trust.

To be say it point blank Clark was- He couldn't even say it point blank! His feelings for Brainy were escalating to the point he was finding them hard to control, especially in moments they were alone. Even more so in moments they were physically close. He was, he was…

He was _lusting_ over Brainy.

One part of Clark argued that it was completely natural to, to have those sorts of feelings towards Brainy. He was in love with Brainy and, obviously, found him attractive. It was only a matter of time before these things happened.

The other part of Clark was horrified by how flat out wrong these feelings were. He knew that Brainy was young, far too young for such things if you looked at his Coluan age. Plus Coluan traditions had lots of restrictions on touch. There could only be more on such, huh- a passionate sort of touching?

Then there were the issues with Clark himself. He was strong, too strong. He could loose control and hurt Brainy. He could never forgive himself for hurting Brainy, especially while doing something that was supposed to show how much he loved him.

It was better, all around, for Clark to keep his feelings towards Brainy platonic. To refrain himself from giving into his urges.

Of course this was easier said then done. After his first week of being away from Brainy, he never wanted to let him go, especially after their first real kiss they shared the morning after his arrival back. He found himself holding kisses longer, holding Brainy closer, touching him just to feel him and watching him.

Clark began paying more attention to the way Brainy moved. The way he walked normally versus the way he walked while reading or when talking to someone or rushing towards a mission. The way his hands held even a fork as if it was a tool that needed to be treated with respect or an actual tool as if it was his partner in creation along with pride and gentleness when he held a finished invention. The way he stood still.

There had never been a worse time to have x-ray vision. He had been tempted, for a moment, once before to use it to see Brainy but he had instantly thrown the idea away in shame. Little by little the shame was ebbing away as his desire grew but he had kept the desire at bay, at least for now.

The other day when Brainy had smiled at him from across the room Clark had to use all his will power to keep from running from the room and keeping himself from speeding across the room to press Brainy against the wall and, and do things that he couldn't do, especially not in front of the others.

Now Clark was in the past again, working in Metropolis at the Daily Planet as a copy boy during the week and running back to Smallville during the weekend to help out on the farm. His Metropolis apartment still felt like a hotel room that he couldn't mess up and his room back at the farm still lacked what it needed to make him feel at home again. He loved his folks and couldn't imagine never seeing them again but it pained him to think that he could walk around both of his 'homes' in the past and not find any trace of Brainy except the pillow that carried Brainy's smell and the thing he was embarrassed to admit he had. It seemed like his life would be forever divided.

Friday evening, after his work was done at the Daily Planet, Clark ran back to Smallville, surprised to find the light in the barn still on. He went there before going to the house to see if his Pa needed help.

Walking in, Clark heard work being done to the tractor on the other side of the room. He carefully put his stuff, including the Brainy pillow, on his jacket on the workbench before sneaking over to the tractor. Taking hold of the wheel, he steadied himself to pull himself onto the seat and surprise Pa.

"Hi-" began Clark, pulling himself onto the seat but his voice trailed off when he saw who it was.

Working on the engine, with his hair tied back in a small ponytail and oil splattered all over him, including a big spot on his cheek, was Brainy. He looked up in half surprise before smiling.

"Hello."

_Why couldn't I have walked around, seen him in advance and said something cool instead of jumping out of nowhere like a dork_? Clark asked himself feeling his lip twitch in an attempt to smile.

"Brainy…"

"Clark," said Brainy.

_Stupid_, Clark mentally shouted imagining himself hitting his head through a wall.

"What're doing here?"

"I believe I was invited to dinner," said Brainy.

_Duh_, Clark's inner voice smacked him.

"I'm sorry Brainy, I didn't remember that you were coming."

_Jerk_, the voice kicked his head.

"We didn't actually set a time," said Brainy. "I just know myself well enough that if we had set a day I would have over thought the entire situation and not come. I figured once I was here that escape from a possibly awkward situation would be more difficult. I apologize if my arrival at this time was inconvenient."

After blinking a few times, Clark smiled.

"You're always welcomed here Brainy."

Sliding down from the seat, Clark kneeled down near the gas and break paddles and leaned down so he could kiss Brainy's lips. He almost regretted it when he pulled away, not only because the kiss was short due to his awkward position but, because he now had a closer view of Brainy's face and his newly exposed neck. Looking at the usually hidden flesh, he was suddenly finding it difficult to swallow.

"You're parents are interesting people," said Brainy.

Clark blinked.

"Huh?"

"You're mother hugged me when she answered the door," explained Brainy. "And when I offered to fix the engine she came up from behind me and did this." He suggested towards his hair. "And your father kept watching me as if expected me to explode." He held up a wench. "I've been using these tools so not to scare him with mine."

Though Clark knew Brainy was referring to how his fingers could change into tools, Clark couldn't help but think it sounded dirty. He blamed it on conversations with Lightning Lad but he could only blame himself for blushing.

"Are you alright Clark?" asked Brainy.

"F-fine," squeaked Clark. He cleared his throat. "I hope my folks haven't been," he tried to think of a good word, "annoying you too much."

"No, they seem very nice," said Brainy, looking away. He began working on the engine again.

Clark watched Brainy a moment before getting down from the tractor on Brainy's side and reaching out to him.

Seeing him, Brainy took a step back.

"Clark, you're just going to get yourself dirty."

"It's worth it," said Clark, catching Brainy and hugging him.

Brainy blinked and then returned the gesture.

"If you're mom yells at us it's your fault."

Clark laughed.

"Clark Kent, what did you do to your work clothes?" asked Ma Kent when Clark and Brainy walked into the house.

"Hugged Brainy," grinned Clark.

"Couldn't wait two seconds for him to get clean, just like your father," sighed Ma Kent, brushing back Clark's hair. "Go change and wash up in the kitchen. Dinner will be ready soon. I'll get you a towel, Brainy, so you can take a shower."

Clark nearly fell over.

After changing Clark walked out of his room and could hear the shower going. He swallowed and looked away from the door before he could be tempted and rushed downstairs.

"How was work, Clark?" asked Pa Kent when he spotted Clark.

"Same as last week Pa, but Mr. White almost got my name right last Tuesday," said Clark, trying very hard not to think of what was upstairs.

"I don't see how Clark is a hard name to remember," said Ma Kent, putting the plates on the table.

"I actually think he's trying to remember 'Kent' Ma," said Clark, smiling.

"I don't see how Kent is a hard name to remember either," said Ma Kent. "Clark, do you know why Brainy said he didn't need a change of clothes?"

Unable to help it, Clark's face heated up and he rushed over to the sink to hide it

"H-his clothes are self cleaning."

"How does that work?" asked Pa Kent.

"I don't really know," said Clark. "I know micro technology is interwoven with the clothe but I didn't understand how it worked when he tried explaining it to me."

"Wouldn't it be uncomfortable?" asked Ma Kent.

"It feels just like regular clothe," commented Clark.

"And how would you know that son?" asked Pa Kent.

"Jonathon," scolded Ma Kent seeing Clark stiffen at the question.

"What? I didn't even think those clothes could come off. They look attached," said Pa Kent.

"In a way they are," commented Brainy coming into the room, clean and hair back to being down. "The technology in my suit adheres to my skin so I never have to worry about it catching on something or ripping. It also grows as I do and the technology, in a sense, has to be turned off in order to be removed."

"Is that one of your inventions?" asked Pa Kent.

"No, my people created it about a generation before I was born," said Brainy.

"Amazing," said Ma Kent. "Clark, hurry up and wash your hands so we can get started. Brainy, I hope you like spaghetti."

"I don't believe I've ever had it before," commented Brainy.

"Well, you're in for a treat then," said Pa Kent, grinning.

Dinner that night had been one of the liveliest meals the Kent household had ever seen since the time Clark was younger.

It began when Brainy wasn't sure how he was supposed to eat spaghetti and Pa Kent thought it would be funny to tell Brainy to use his spoon. Not only did Ma Kent scold him but Pa Kent thought it was hilarious, and was impressed, when Brainy succeeded in using his spoon in a previously thought impossible task.

Then there was the numerous questions being thrown back and forth. Brainy wanted to know more about the culture of what he viewed to be 'ancient' Smallville, Kansas and Clark's folks wanted to know about the future. Ma Kent would start up stories about the fairs that came to visit, the local family farms and historical events while Pa Kent would talk about competitions and the local architecture. Ma Kent would find it cute, while Pa Kent tried not to laugh, whenever Brainy didn't understand a cultural reference or term. Brainy, in turn, tried to answer what he could but still had to keep most of the things they wanted to know in the future where they belonged.

Then began the ever embarrassing stories of when Clark was little. Both Ma and Pa Kent seemed to immensely enjoy telling these stories and with such enthusiasm that was pretty rare for them. Clark figured it was because they had never been able to tell anyone these stories before.

"When Clark was five he lifted the tractor single handedly!"

"When Clark first started to develop super strength he tried to put _me _to bed."

"When Clark was three he broke a plate by yawning on it!"

"When Clark was seven he cried for a whole day when he accidentally hugged the fluff out of his teddy bear."

Clark was torn between wanting to dig himself a hole and burying himself in it and trying to let his folks enjoy what most parents got to do on a regular basis. And he had to consider the fact that Brainy seemed to enjoy it, but he nearly dove under the table at the story when he was two and refused to wear clothes for a week.

"Has Clark always eaten a lot or did it develop when his powers did?" asked Brainy just as Clark was helping himself to a fifth helping of spaghetti and a third helping of green beans.

"Are you saying I eat like a pig?" asked Clark.

"Of course not. Compared to some species you eat like a rabbit. I was just wondering if your appetite was based on normal kryptonian genes or if it was influenced by being under a yellow sun," said Brainy.

"I don't know what a kryptonian is but his appetite went up at the same time as his strength," said Pa Kent.

After the main meal they had a choice between pumpkin or pecan pie.

Never having either one before Brainy chose pecan thinking that the nuts would give it some nutritional value. His eyes went wide for a moment after the first bite.

"I have the feeling Bouncing Boy would love this."

"That other boy that came here with you and that lovely young lady?" asked Ma Kent. "If you think your friends would like it I can make another one for Clark to take back with him next weekend."

"That's very kind of you, Mrs. Kent, but Bouncing Boy could probably eat the entire pie himself and there are usually eight of us living at headquarters at one time. Plus I wouldn't want to inconvenience you," said Brainy.

"I enjoy making pies Brainy, it's no inconvenience at all," said Ma Kent. "And call me, Martha."

As the pies disappeared and the hour became late Martha turned to Brainy.

"You are staying the night, of course."

Brainy looked surprised at this.

"I am?"

"Well we can't let you go running off to the future in the middle of the night," commented Martha.

"It's not even ten yet, Martha," Jonathon gently told his wife.

"He's staying and that's settled," said Martha. She turned to Brainy. "You can borrow some of Clark's old pajamas."

"Martha, they'd fall right off him," said Jonathon.

Clark both choked and laughed at the same time.

"Oh hush," said Martha to her husband, smiling fondly at him.

The truth of the matter was that Clark's pajamas were very close to falling off of Brainy even when he stood still. He had to tie the pants string as tight as the string would go and hold he pajama shirt to him even though they were buttoned all the way up.

"Thank goodness I'm not expected to jog or anything in this."

"You'd trip on how long the legs are," joked Clark, trying to concentrate on the floor by Brainy's feet instead of staring at him.

"Wouldn't that be fun," joked back Brainy.

"Only if you didn't fall," said Clark, turning off the lights. They crawled in to the bed and he pulled Brainy to him. "Thanks for tolerating all my folk's questions."

"They answered my questions, it only seemed fair," said Brainy. "And don't worry, I'll keep 'Naked Boy' to myself."

Clark laughed to cover up how embarrassed he was and to keep himself from saying any of the lousy one liners that would have been Lightning Lad worthy.

"And your parents are nice," said Brainy. "Are all parents like that?"

At first Clark wanted to say that most were, but then remembered that Brainy never really knew his parents. He kissed Brainy's forehead.

"All parents are different, but all the ones I've met are the same in the love of embarrassing their kids."

"I wonder what kind of stories Lightning Lad's parents would have," said Brainy, causing Clark to laugh again.


	3. Chapter 3

03/31/08

I'd like to thank Noriko Sakuma and stephanie roesch for pointing out that this story really had been posted on the site and I could see it by changing the ratings of which I could view. Now I can stop harrassing those poor Support people. -sweat drops and nervously giggles-

Obviously I just got back from Spring Break, or rather the week I got to do lots of homework and still not get anything done... -glares at my school- And now I'm all sick. My parents think I overworked myself into this stuffed up nose, sore throat, headache torture but I blame my school! And _now_ I get to go to class. Yay me. -sniffs sadly-

One more thing though. Chapter 2 of this story now has 11 reviews. That's the most I've ever gotten on a chapter. -sniffs- I'm SO happy! Now to class. -sniffs sadly-

Chapter 3

Though Brainy was right next to him, Clark was finding it hard to sleep, which was stupid since he usually found it difficult to sleep without Brainy. He kept thinking that if he fell asleep his pajamas would fall off of Brainy and he'd do something stupid when he woke up. Almost compulsively he'd make sure the pajamas were secure, thankful that Brainy wasn't awake to see him act so stupid.

Did he mention that he was feeling incredibly stupid?

Sighing for, possibly, the hundredth time Clark tried looking away from the pajamas that mocked him with their bagginess, his eyes traveling upwards to look at Brainy's face, relaxed in sleep. This was enough to make him smile.

Clark could tell when he brought up coming to dinner to Brainy that Brainy had doubts about the idea. There had been a pause longer then Brainy usually took to answer questions and he hadn't given a definite answer. He had thought that Brainy would think about it the week he was done and tell him his answer when he got back. He never expected to come home with Brainy already there.

_Come home to Brainy_, thought Clark, warmth spreading throughout his body. He played with Brainy's hair a moment before kissing Brainy's cheek.

"Honey, I'm home," whispered Clark, brushing his fingers over the spot he had just kissed.

As Clark was wondering how Brainy would react to being called 'honey' he, with how close he moved for the kiss, got a nice view of Brainy's neck and a little of his chest since a button had come undone with all his fiddling with the pajamas.

Thoughts became disconnected, Clark pressing his lips against Brainy's neck, grazing downwards until they came upon the first of the black lines.

Though Clark had felt the lines before on Brainy's fingers, he still marveled at how the lines felt like the rest of Brainy's skin, almost softer then normal skin and definitely smoother. The only reason he could tell the difference by touch was that the black lines were almost an indent, making where green met black into hardly noticeable bumps. He wondered…

Tongue flicking out Clark briefly tasted Brainy's skin. It wasn't metallic like he had once thought but he couldn't name the faint hint of something there.

This time Clark's tongue traveled leisurely down Brainy's neck, barely acknowledging that Brainy had moaned softly and turned his head as if to give him better access, concentrating on the taste and feel of his love's skin. When his tongue came down to caress the black line Brainy moaned again, louder, and shivered.

Thoughts reconnected and Clark almost jumped away in shock at his own actions. His face burned, his heart pounded and he felt like kicking himself. What did he think he was doing to Brainy while he was _sleeping_?

Shame filled Clark as he listened to Brainy's breathing even back into normal sleep. Still, he couldn't help but think that Brainy tasted like the sweetest part of a watermelon.

Superman walked into Brainy's lab in the early morning to find that Brainy hadn't bothered changing out of Clark's oversized pajamas yet. He smiled, watching Brainy type something at one of his numerous computers, wondering what could have been so important that Brainy wouldn't have gotten dressed before leaving their room.

Not yet realizing that Superman was there, Brainy paused in his typing a moment to raise his arms above his head and stretch.

Never having seen Brainy stretch before, Superman quickly sped to the side of the lab so he could observe it. He watched as Brainy leaned his head back, lengthen his arms above him, and yawn softly as his back arched…

Returning to his normal way of sitting, Brainy must have sensed Superman's eyes on him because he turned and smiled at him in greeting.

Swallowing, Superman strode over to Brainy, watching him watch his approach and, once he was close enough, tilt his head upwards, almost expectantly. He swallowed again, leaning down to kiss his genius but once their lips touched he felt like someone was holding their faces together, not realizing that it was him who held Brainy's face to his.

The kiss deepened and the need to be closer filled Superman. He lifted Brainy from his chair and placed him on the workbench next to the computer. Without separating their lips, he moved between Brainy's legs and pulled him closer so their bodies where touching.

They slowly separated and Superman realized that one of the button's on his old pajamas must have come undone for the shirt had fallen open, revealing one of Brainy's shoulders and a little of his chest, also giving Superman complete access to that side of his panting genius's neck.

Brainy gasped when Superman's lips attacked his neck but then moaned when those lips parted and a tongue came out to dance upon his skin. His body jerked and he clutched onto Superman, moaning louder when Superman's tongue jumped onto a black line, which the owner of that tongue noted seemed to be extra sensitive compared to the rest of Brainy's neck.

Superman wondered if all the black lines on Brainy's body were as sensitive and he wondered where all the black lines were. One tug on the shirt and another on the pants and he could find out…

Clark woke up with a start, heart pounding so hard he thought maybe someone was throwing a rock concert in his chest. He was still in Smallville, still at his parent's farm and still-

Right next to Brainy.

Nearly flying out of the bed, Clark held onto his head, tempted to squeeze it to punish it for conjuring up such a dream when he was sleeping next to Brainy of all times. He risked a glance back at the bed, noting that Brainy looked like he was about to wake up and he was standing in the middle of the room with a-

_Need a shower_, thought Clark desperately, running from the room.

When Clark had come out of the shower he realized he forgot to grab some clothes to change into. He dried himself off the best he could and wrapped his towel around himself before checking the hallway to see if anyone was there. With the close clear, he went back to his room and walked in.

It wasn't until Clark stepped into the room that he remembered that he should have knocked. The realization smacked him in the face when he spotted Brainy, with his back to him, finishing getting dressed by pulling his shirt over his head. He got a glimpse of Brainy's bare slender back before it disappeared under the shirt but his brain hadn't started to fully function again until Brainy began to turn around.

Seeing Clark in nothing but a towel, Brainy's eyes went wide and his face turned such a dark green so completely that Clark almost thought Brainy's skin had changed its pigment. He blinked and swung back around.

"I, I forgot my clothes," said Clark, blushing fiercely for he recognized Brainy's, now hidden, expression as one trying not to look.

At first Brainy didn't say anything, keeping his back to Clark as he tried to regain his normal facial color.

"I'll give you some privacy then."

Brainy walked towards the door, trying to keep his back to where he thought Clark would be. He was more then a little surprised to find Clark still standing by the door with it now closed.

Not giving Brainy the time to question it, Clark took hold of Brainy's face and kissed him, immediately deepening it.

Eyes closing, Brainy responded eagerly but stood awkwardly. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands.

Sensing this Clark released his hold on Brainy's face but didn't release his lips. He took hold of Brainy's hands and placed them on his chest.

Hands twitching at the new touch, Brainy marveled at how soft Clark's skin was, though it made sense considering nothing natural to the earth could harm his kryptonian. Very slowly, he let his hands explore.

It was very sensual for Clark kissing Brainy, being touched by Brainy with his hands still over Brainy's hands. He gasped, temporarily separating their lips when those hands grazed over his nipples. He moved in to claim those lips again when-

"Clark, Brainy, time to get up," called Martha from the other side of the door.

Both boys blushed like children being caught doing something bad even though it seemed like Martha still thought they had been sleeping.

Stepping back from Clark, Brainy looked anywhere but at him.

"Be out in a bit Ma," called out Clark and waited until the footsteps faded downstairs before approaching Brainy. He kissed the other boy's temple, cursing himself for loosing control. "Sorry."

Brainy looked up at him in surprise.

"What for?"

"For jumping you like that," said Clark dejectedly.

Reaching up, Brainy pulled on Clark's shoulders and kissed him with the same fire that Clark had just moments before. When they separated, Brainy flickered his tongue over the bottom and tops of Clark's lips before pulling away and smiling at Clark's dazed expression.

"I'm not."

Clark could only stare at Brainy.

"You should get dressed," said Brainy, releasing his hold on Clark and sneaking out the door before Clark fully realized what had just happened.

For the first time that he could remember Clark hated the fact that his parents were early raisers and, also for the first time, wanted to take a shower within five minutes of just taking one.

When Clark managed to get dressed and head downstairs to breakfast Martha was telling Brainy about the long line of Kent farmers and how her family, the Clark side of which he was named after, had been lawyers and big business men of the city.

"But if he lived in the country and you lived in the city, how did you two meet?" asked Brainy, smiling when Clark sat down next to him.

"College," said Jonathon.

Brainy paused to consider this.

"College is the same as going to a university in this time, right?"

Jonathon chuckled, getting a light smack on the shoulder from Martha.

"Yes it is, dear," said Martha.

Brainy turned to Clark, a question clear on his face.

Taking a few pancakes, bacon and eggs, Clark smiled at Brainy and shrugged, constantly reminding himself not to think or do anything, _bad_, in his parents house.

"Clark says you're a smart fellow, didn't you go to college, er, university?" asked Jonathon.

"No, most of my education occurred via a download during the procedure my species goes through, typically at the age of five for a year, that integrates technology into our organic systems," explained Brainy. "I did teach a class at a university once though. It was," he grimaced, "interesting."

"Is that why you're so smart?" asked Jonathon, instantly spotting the glare Martha was giving him. "What?"

"It's fine Mrs. Kent, it's a valid question," said Brainy. When Martha gave up her glare, Brainy turned back to Jonathon. "I was tested before the procedure and though they couldn't assign a level due to my immaturity of age they theorized I was already smarter then my original ancestor."

Clark nearly choked on his milk.

"But you were three when they did the procedure on you!"

Brainy looked like he was going to say something but Martha interrupted.

"Three? Why so young if the typical age is five?" asked Martha.

"They had the opportunity to do so, so they did," stated Brainy.

"It sounds like your species doesn't beat around the bush much do they?" chuckled Jonathon, pouring himself some more orange juice.

"That means not to procrastinate, right?" asked Brainy.

"That's right, dear," said Martha quickly, shooting Jonathon a look.

"Then your observation is correct Mr. Kent," said Brainy.

"Brainy, I know Clark says that you don't need to eat all the time but aren't you going to have more then two eggs?" asked Martha. "You're scrawny enough as it is."

"Don't force food on him, Martha, you'll make him sick," said Jonathon.

"I'm not forcing food on him, I'm just asking if he's going to have more," said Martha.

"While implying he should," said Jonathon.

"I'm not implying anything and even if I was I don't see anything wrong with wanting Clark's boyfriend to be healthy," said Martha.

Both Brainy and Clark blushed at these words. Though they had been dating for just two months now, no one had used the term 'boyfriend' yet. They looked at each other's expressions and shared a smile.

After breakfast Martha suggested that Clark go back to the future with Brainy early saying, "He's not going to want to be stuck here all weekend and you'll be back right after you left anyway."

"Okay Ma, I'll go get him," said Clark, heading back up to his room. He was surprised to find Brainy standing by his desk. "Brainy?"

"Clark, care to introduce me to your friend?" asked Brainy, turning and holding up a small cloth doll after his own image.

"I-It wasn't my idea," said Clark quickly, his face burning and arms swinging around madly as he tried to explain. "I told Ma over the phone that I was having problems sleeping without you and since she remembered what you looked like she made it for me. When I came back for the weekend she just gave it to me. I had no idea she was going to make it! I swear!"

"Your mother is very talented," commented Brainy, looking down at the doll.

"Y-you're not mad?" asked Clark.

"Why would I be? Your mother made it for you and it's a harmless toy," said Brainy. "It's not like you're a perverted stalker or something."

Clark laughed nervously, heart returning to it's normal rate.

"How did you find it anyway?"

"I was looking for the hair tie your mother lent me yesterday," said Brainy. "If you didn't want me to find this, you shouldn't left the drawer partially opened."

Clark laughed again and asked, "Did you find it?"

"Ironically, it had fallen in and was resting on little Brainy," said Brainy, holding up the tie in the hand that wasn't holding the Brainy doll.

"Either way, little Brainy is staying here," said Clark, taking the doll from Brainy and placed on his desk, leaning against some books. He smiled at Brainy. "The real thing is much better."

"Well, that's good to know," blushed Brainy.

"Thank you for loaning me this," said Brainy, holding out the hair tie to Martha.

"Keep it, I have dozens," said Martha. "And I'll make those pies for you and your friends next Saturday so they're nice and fresh when Clark brings them to the future."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you Mrs. Kent," said Brainy.

"So polite, and I thought I told you to call me, Martha," said Martha.

"Don't push the boy, Martha," said Jonathon.

"I'm not pushing and it's not like I'm asking him to call me, Mom," said Martha.

Brainy could only manage to smile weakly.

"Did Clark show you the little you I made?" asked Martha, not noticing.

"Actually I found it by mistake, but I did see it. I'm impressed by your variety of talents. No one sews in the 31st centaury anymore," said Brainy.

This seemed to confuse Martha but she continued with what she originally wanted to say anyway.

"I was wondering if you would like one for yourself. Of Clark, I mean."

Brainy was surprised by the offer and glanced up at the stairs where he knew Clark was gathering what he wanted to take with him to the 31st centaury. He nodded.

"So would you like it to be of Clark or Superman?" asked Martha.

"The version with glasses please," said Brainy, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

04/03/08

Chapter 4

"So how was it in the stone age?" asked Lightning Lad as Clark and Brainy came out of the time bubble.

"21st centaury Smallville is hardly the stone age Lighting Lad," said Brainy.

"They still had books made out of paper and, what were those music things called, BD's?" asked Lightning Lad, laughing.

"CD's," corrected Clark, blushing at Lightning Lad's smirk.

"Ten thousand years from now they'll be calling our time the stone age, so you should keep your comments to yourself," said Brainy.

Phantom Girl came up through the floor and smiled when she spotted the boys.

"So Brainy, how did meeting the parents go?"

"If you recall, Phantom Girl; Saturn Girl, Bouncing Boy and I met Mrs. Kent already when we first recruited Clark into the Legion," said Brainy.

Not one to be put off, Phantom Girl smirked.

"But then you met her as carnies. Weren't you the least bit nervous about meeting her again and Clark's dad for the first time as his," she leaned in and batted her eyelashes, putting her hands together, resting her head on them to the side and spoke in a breathless way, "_lover_?"

Clark's jaw dropped and his face turned a lovely shade of red that would make an apple jealous.

Used to Phantom Girl's teasing, Brainy rolled his eyes at her.

"I doubt that the Kents would jump to the conclusion that since Clark and I are dating that we are automatically lovers."

"Well, aren't you?" asked Phantom Girl, dropping her previous act but forgetting to drop her hands.

"I don't want to know," exclaimed Lightning Lad.

"It really isn't any of your business," stated Brainy.

Phantom Girl looked between Brainy's calm expression to Clark's turning redder by the second one. Her eyes widened.

"But you share the same bed. The same bathroom for the last two months! Have you at least seen each other even remotely naked?"

Now Brainy's face joined Clark's in blushing.

"Oh my, poor Clark," exclaimed Phantom Girl rushing to him and taking hold of his hands in a matter that would have looked to be comforting to anyone watching. "You must take _a lot _of cold showers."

At this point Lightning Lad plugged fingers into ears and ran from the room shouting, "I can't hear you!"

Clark took his stuff back to their room and placed the pillow back onto their shared bed and wondered if everyone thought on the same lines as Phantom Girl. Sighing, he began to unbutton his shirt to reveal his super suit underneath.

Coming into the room, Brainy watched Clark for a moment before clearing his throat to get his attention.

Turning to face Brainy, Clark smiled and dropped his hands from their work, allowing his shirt to hang open.

"Hey Brainy, what's up?"

"I'm not sure how to put this so I'm just going to say it," said Brainy.

Clark blinked.

"Okay."

"I think we should go on a date."

Clark blinked again.

"What?"

"I've done a little research into 21st centaury earth dating rituals and it seems that typically people date a while before they live together and we haven't, technically, been on a date yet unless you count Valentine's Day but neither of us knew it had been Valentine's Day at the time so I don't think it does. Plus dates are an important part of a relationship that even married couples engage in," said Brainy in his normal explaining tone but slightly quicker then normal.

It took about halfway through but Clark realized Brainy was babbling.

"Of course we are already living together and between you going back in time and legion missions there is rarely any time for such personal matters," continued Brainy, voice accelerating a bit more when Clark didn't respond right away. "Forget I said anything."

"Too late," said Clark, grabbing hold of Brainy before he could physically back out of the discussion. "Typically first dates consist of going out to dinner, but since I think of Valentine's Day as our first date do you mind if I surprise you with something at a soon to be named day?"

Having been surprised at the sudden physical restraint, Brainy was only further surprised by Clark's words. He blushed when Clark mentioned Valentine's Day and looked away at the question.

"I don't mind."

Clark chuckled slightly and kissed Brainy's temple, pausing for Brainy to turn his face to him again so he could kiss his lips next.

Though Brainy knew perfectly well that he had said he didn't mind being surprised, he almost yelled when Superman came up from behind him in his lab the next day and put a blind fold on him.

"_Claaaark_, what are you doing?"

"Surprising you," said Superman.

"I can see right through his you know," said Brainy.

"I'm trusting you not to look," said Superman.

Brainy sighed.

"Can I at least save my work?"

Leaning over Brainy's shoulder, Superman typed in the needed keys and smiled when the computer announced that the work was saved.

Thinking that he was going to be lead somewhere, Brainy began to stand from his chair, unwittingly letting out a small sound of surprise when he was suddenly in the air.

"Do I need to be carried?"

"We're flying, it's easier this way," said Superman.

Being carried bridal style, Brainy could tell Superman was holding something else in the hand by his legs but, unwilling to break Superman's trust, he couldn't tell what. He rested his head on Superman's chest as they began to move and smiled at the sound of Superman's excited heart beat.

When they arrived at their destination, Superman had Brainy stand to the side as he set everything up and though Brainy wasn't peeking he could make several observations about their location. The ground he was standing on was soft, it was relatively quiet and there was a water smell. All these things suggested towards a park, but he couldn't think of one with a river that wouldn't have children running around the feed the ducks.

"Okay," said Superman, taking hold of Brainy's shoulders and leading him slightly forward and having him stop again. "Sit down."

Though it was easy for Brainy to sit without seeing where he was sitting, he didn't complain when Superman helped him to the ground. His hands instinctively went to touch the ground, noting that he was now on a blanket.

"Ta-da," exclaimed Superman, taking the blindfold off of Brainy.

Opening his eyes, Brainy first noticed that on the blanket in front of him was a variety of food and beverages, but that didn't keep his attention for long.

Just outside of the blankets perimeter was the end of the land they were sitting on. The blanket covered nearly all of the little island they were sitting on, though Brainy supposed it wasn't technically an island since it had a connection to the main land though the enormous root of a tree on the riverbank. Still they were on a small circle of land in the middle of a river, connected to land by the root of possible the biggest weeping willow tree Brainy has ever seen with an equally big tree of the same type on the other side of the river bank, which was already slightly downwards from normal land. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to see them unless they came down to the riverbank.

Brainy turned to face a grinning Superman.

"Where is this place?"

"We're in the deep part of Metropolis park where usually only hikers go and hardly any people come here in the afternoon during the work week," said Superman happily. "I found it during my first week in Metropolis when I came here after work to take a look around, though the trees were much smaller back in the 21st centaury." He looked at the trees a moment in wonder before turning back to Brainy. "It's amazing that it's still here, isn't it?"

"Very," agreed Brainy, looking up at the trees. He observed that their hanging branches were so thick that he could hardly see the tree that they hung from.

"Do you like it?" asked Superman.

Turning his attention back to Superman, Brainy saw that even though the smile was still in place Superman's eyes held a hint of hesitation. He was quick to kiss that smile and return it with one of his own.

"It's amazing."

Superman's grin widened and he suggested towards the food.

"I know you don't have to eat all the time but you didn't have dinner last night or breakfast this morning so I thought having a picnic would be alright. I brought my specialty, PB and J, along with grapes, strawberries, carrots, potato salad, some cookies and of course," he held up a canister, "hot chocolate."

"I see you have discovered my second weakness," commented Brainy and Superman poured glasses for them.

"Oh? And what's your first?" asked Superman.

Brainy gave Superman a look.

"I would think that was obvious."

Superman blushed.

The meal continued on to be very relaxed with Superman talking about his week working at the Daily Planet and Brainy explaining new ideas for inventions or improving on the old ones. It was beginning to annoy Brainy that he hadn't figured out how to send a message across time yet other then sending the Time Bubble with a note in it.

"Which that wouldn't work at all. The Time Bubble is too big and even if I made a smaller version there is no way of knowing what the other is doing when we're in separate times. I could accidentally send you a message when you're at work or your _other _work or you could accidentally send it to me during a mission or while I'm doing something that requires absolute concentration in the lab," said Brainy in exasperation. "If you were desperate you could send me something in a time capsule but that is just ridiculous and it wouldn't help me send a message to you."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," commented Superman. He had been watching the things Brainy ate and, besides a possible dislike for potato salad, the genius didn't seem to care about what he ate either way. "Hey Brainy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is there anything you like to eat?"

"I've never given it much thought, why?"

"Well, it seems like you only eat because you have to."

"I do have to."

"But is there anything you enjoy eating?"

Brainy paused and thought about it.

"I enjoy eating whatever is not made by Phantom Girl."

"That's something you dislike," said Superman. "Tell me something you like."

"Well, of the things here I enjoy strawberries," said Brainy.

"That's a start," said Superman, making a note to remember that.

"Why do you ask?" asked Brainy.

"Just trying to learn more about you," said Superman.

The statement seemed to surprise Brainy and he looked away in thought. After a moment his fingers began to tap on the cup in his hands.

"Querl Dox."

Superman stared.

"What?"

Blush developed on Brainy's cheeks and the tapping more pronounced.

"Brainiac Five is my title. Querl Dox is my name."

At first Superman's eyes widened. He had thought that Brainiac Five was Brainy's name, seeing as it was the name passed down from his ancestor but it was his title, a codename like 'Superman' was to himself. Then he saw how Brainy still wasn't looking at him, the tapping almost constant now. If he listened in, he could hear Brainy's heart racing.

"Querl Dox," said Superman, the name sliding smoothly off his tongue and his heart running to catch up with Brainy's. He liked how it sounded and how Brainy's blush deepened when he said it. He leaned in, taking Brainy's cup away, making the genius turn to him, allowing their lips to meet.

This kiss was brief but it didn't stop it from being breath taking.

When Superman pulled away he looked into Brainy's eyes.

"I love you, Querl."

Brainy smiled in a way that made Superman's heart skip a beat.

"And I love you, Clark."

They stayed out on their lunch date long after lunch time was over and well into the approach of dinner. When they got back to Legion Headquarters, they were teased by their fellow legionnaires about how long they were gone and what they could have done in that moment of time.

"I feel sorry for men everywhere," said Phantom Girl dramatically. "Even when gay other men still have to struggle to compare to the high bar Superman has set."

Though Bouncing Boy had found this funny, Lightning Lad and Timber Wolf shot Superman glares.

"Well this mere mortal needs help with the Batmobile," said Bouncing Boy. "Care to lend a hand Brainy?"

"Of course," said Brainy. He gave Superman a farewell smile before following Bouncing Boy to the hanger.

"You guys are so in love, it's almost gross," commented Phantom Girl.

"I think it's sweet," said Triplicate Girl.

"I'm voting for gross," said Lightning Lad.

"Gross," agreed Timber Wolf.

"You two are just saying that because I said you couldn't live up to Superman's romantic standards," said Phantom Girl.

"We're just agreeing with what you said," said Timber Wolf.

"Form your own opinion, don't copy mine," said Phantom Girl, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Break it up you two," said Saturn Girl. When the scolded looked away from each other, she turned to Superman. "How did it go?"

"Really, really well," said Superman brightly. "Hey, would you happen to know if there's a book or something I can read about Coluan culture?"

For a moment Saturn Girl's widened, as if remembering something horrible, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"There aren't any books written since Colu doesn't interact much with other planets. Y-you'll have to ask Brainy."

"Are you alright Saturn Girl?" asked Superman.

"I'm fine it's just I was asked that once before and it, it didn't turn out very well," said Saturn Girl, not meeting Superman's eyes.

Superman looked around the room seeing that everyone, besides Timber Wolf who had joined the Legion after him, had their eyes downcast.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," said Saturn Girl, leaving the room.

Many of the other Legionnaires followed suit. Lightning Lad ran to catch up with Saturn Girl, Triplicate Girl ran down a different hallway looking like she was going to cry and Phantom Girl sank through the floor.

"Somebody must have died," commented Timber Wolf.

Guilt filled Superman for bringing up such painful memories for his friends but worry joined guilt when he thought of what Saturn Girl had said.

"And it somehow involves Brainy."


	5. Chapter 5

04/08/08

We're really starting to get into 'Mature' rating territory. You have been warned.

Chapter 5

Superman felt like something had taken his brain, thrown it in the blender to chop up his thoughts and then danced on it before putting it back in his head. How else could he explain the sensation that he was arguing with himself and moving around ideas so quickly it was like he was in a game of bumper cars?

Originally Superman had asked Saturn Girl about Coluan Culture because he wanted to know if there was a signifigance to Coluan names but it lead to a whole new mess of problems.

Someone who asked about Coluan culture had died.

Someone somehow connected to Brainy.

Everyone else, who had known this someone, was sad about it. It was painful.

Of course it was painful, it was their teammate.

Wasn't it?

This person could be from a mission. A person the legion failed to save?

No, that couldn't be right. It had to be someone in the Legion.

What was the connection to Brainy?

How did this person die?

If Superman asked, would it hurt Brainy like it had hurt the others?

How deep was this person's connection to Brainy?

Could he even ask about Coluan culture without the fear of bringing up the dead?

How deep was this person's connection to Brainy?

Pausing in his panicked thoughts, Superman thought of something that hadn't occurred to him before. What was Brainy like before Superman was recruited into the Legion? What was Brainy like when he first joined the Legion?

These thoughts and questions plagued Superman for the rest of the day and it made it even harder that he couldn't even ask anyone for advice. Besides Timber Wolf, his fellow legionnaires refused to talk about it and he couldn't ask Brainy until he knew more about it for fear of bringing up a painful past. There was no one for him to talk to.

Then, for whatever reason, Virgil popped into his head. The dreaded boy was smirking at him, wearing his Static uniform and lightly punching him in the shoulder.

"_What's the problem Mini-Supes? Run out of sunshine?_"

During their visit to the past, which was still the future to Superman, Superman had come to think of Dakota's crime fighting duo as his friends, particularly Virgil, Static, with his blunt and energetic ways, even without his power of electricity. Virgil was also smart, looking at things differently then most people. Superman still remembered what Virgil had said after Backpack had connected Richie, Virgil's best friend, probably boyfriend since their visit, and Static's partner Gear, and Brainy's minds which had caused Richie and Brainy to kiss and cause Brainy actual pain;

_"You two need to learn to lighten up. Man, it's weird giving advice to past Superman and a version of Brainiac… Listen, it was weird and painful looking but everyone is okay, or will be okay with time. You can't let this get to you or how will you handle the bigger stuff? Now, who wants omelets, besides Richie?"_

Superman almost laughed and thought an omelet sounded pretty good. He had one for dinner, trying to ignore the awkwardness of sitting at the same table as the people who had rushed away from him earlier.

Bouncing Boy, who hadn't been there, was talking about the progress he and Brainy had made on the Batmobile.

"But I swear, no matter how many times we try to clean it, there is no end of the dust. I know it's been sitting for ten thousand years but seriously, I had to shower before coming to dinner. And of course Brainy, the workaholic, is still messing with it. He's the one who said it should go in a museum, where it will just sit and be pretty, but he still wants everything to work. I keep telling him that his whatever great Grandpa Bat wouldn't care but he just tells me to shut up in his high vocabulary way."

Superman laughed, which lightened the mood a little and other people began to join in the conversation.

By the time Superman was getting ready for bed, Brainy was still working in the hanger, but Superman was used to this. Sometimes Brainy would work on something for an entire night and only occasionally would he come back to the room to sleep next to Superman for a few hours in the morning before leaving to work on something else.

It was always fun for Superman to hold onto Brainy at times like that, pretending to still be asleep while Brainy struggled to get out of his hold without waking him. It was even more fun for Superman to do this while Brainy knew he was awake and still pretended to be asleep anyway.

When reasoning with Superman for his release wouldn't work, with Superman pretending to snore, Brainy would resort to tickling him. Brainy learned early on that Superman was very ticklish if touched in a certain way and, though he couldn't use his toes for the job, Brainy was very good at it.

Through bouts of laughter Superman would call Brainy a cheater and, when his will power let out, he would release Brainy but would still be subject to tickling for a little longer out of revenge for not releasing Brainy sooner. Then, when Brainy thought Superman has had enough he would rush out of the room so Superman wouldn't have time to grab hold of him again, while he recovered from the attack.

Changing into his pajamas Clark thought how nice it would be to have Brainy with him in Metropolis during his weeks in the past. They could have playful bouts like that in the morning and Clark could look forward to going home to Brainy every evening instead of wasting evenings alone with work and take out dinners.

Still, Clark reasoned, it would be pretty boring for Brainy to stay in the past with him like that. While Clark was gone Brainy would have nothing to do and no one to talk to since no one in the past, besides Clark's parents, could be allowed to see him. Plus the idea of Brainy as a housewife as any sort was ridiculous and it made Clark laugh but out of that laughter Clark realized something very important;

Clark wanted to marry Brainy.

Warmth filled Clark and, after a few minutes of simply enjoying that feeling, he realized that he was floating. Bringing himself back to the ground he wished desperately that there was a book on Coluan culture.

He didn't just want to ask Brainy how Coluan proposals worked. He wanted to take Brainy completely by surprise.

Laying in bed, Clark's mind worked anew on how to find out and how to let the world know how much Superman loved Brainiac Five.

At some point Clark must have fallen asleep because he was startled at the sound of the door opening. He stilled and peeked through his eyelids with his x-ray vision towards the doorway, trying to give out the illusion that he was still asleep.

Walking in was Brainy, literally head to foot covered in dust and some oil and grease spots. He paused for a moment, looking towards the bed.

Clark guessed that he must have been successful in his illusion for Brainy looked away without saying anything. He had to resist his urge to smile.

Unaware of Clark's eyes watching him, Brainy turned the outer circle of his legion belt buckle, making his clothes release their hold on his body. He took hold of the bottom of his shirt and began to pull it upwards.

Heart pounding, Clark internally cursed and tried to turn off his x-ray vision but it seemed that with how long he had been trying not to use it, it was just as stubborn not to be turned off. In his panic, he didn't think of turning his head or pretending to wake up.

With the removal of his shirt, dust flew anew in the air and Brainy sneezed, which Clark couldn't help but find cute. That thought was quickly forgotten, however, when Brainy put down the shirt, allowing to Clark to see Brainy's bare torso.

There were no obvious marks of technology integrated into Brainy's chest. It, like the rest of him, was green and smooth looking. His entire torso was toned even though it wasn't muscled like Clarks and Clark couldn't help but lick his lips at the sight of Brainy's slightly darker green nipples and his eyes traveled downwards to spot Brainy's belly button and what looked like a thin, almost unnoticeable, black line just above the line of Brainy's pants, below his stomach.

Brainy opened the drawer and took out a pair of pajamas before walking into the connected bathroom.

Clark swallowed when he heard the shower being turned on. He could feel his x-ray vision begin to reach out to see beyond the door but he quickly turned onto his stomach, burying his face into his pillow until he had calmed down enough that his vision returned to normal.

_Pervert_, Clark's inner voice taunted and he didn't dare look up from the pillow.

When the shower turned off Clark rolled onto his back and thought what he should do since he couldn't pretend to be asleep any longer. His mind was too busy to allow him the concentration he needed to even his breathing and to keep himself from tackling Brainy the moment he stepped out that door.

Brainy emerged from the bathroom, wearing his pajamas and using a towel to pat dry his hair.

Clark opened his eyes and turned his head, hoping he wasn't blushing guiltily.

"Hey."

"Hello," said Brainy softly. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's fine," said Clark, hoping Brainy wouldn't ask when he had woken up. He sat up, thinking this was the first time he had been in the room, if awake, when Brainy came out of the shower. He turned himself so he was facing Brainy and patted the spot of the bed in front of him. "Sit down."

Doing what he was told Brainy was surprised when Clark took the towel from him and began to pat dry his hair for him.

"You don't have to-"

"Want to," interrupted Clark, enjoying their closeness. He loved the feel of Brainy's hair and now he knew he loved it wet too when he removed the towel for a moment to see how wet it was. It felt good to simply touch Brainy.

Then it hit Clark; he could smell Brainy. The watermelon smell that he had tasted the night before wafted up to his nose, tormenting him with it's sweetness.

Clark knew for a fact that there was no watermelon soap or shampoo in the bathroom so the watermelon had to be Brainy's natural smell, his natural taste. Clark wasn't sure if it was a Coluan trait for their smell to be more pronounced when they were freshly clean or if he had somehow turned on his super sense of smell without meaning too but it was so alluring. He wanted to hold Brainy closer, breath him in, lick his skin, taste him again and make Brainy his.

The thoughts scared Clark he couldn't hold them all back. He dropped the towel and pulled Brainy against his chest, resting his face on Brainy's shoulder and simply breathed him in.

"God," said Clark, unable to help himself, "you smell good."

With his face tucked into Brainy's shoulder, Clark felt Brainy's face heat up against his own.

"Y-you can smell me," asked Brainy. "I didn't think non-Coluans could detect a Coluan's scent."

Shrugging, Clark had to resist the urge to tell Brainy how good he smelled.

"Is the scent of a Coluan significant?"

"Ah, well, yes," said Brainy, his face heating up more. "A Coluans scent is unique to them, like fingerprints to humans. Th-though it can change as time goes on."

Clark sensed this was important and asked, "How?"

"That is an embarrassing question," admitted Brainy.

Normally Clark would back off but he couldn't find it in himself to do so. He lifted his face and brought his lips close to Brainy's ears before asking again, "How?"

Brainy almost squirmed in Clark's hold at the question and his face heated up even more. He swallowed.

"A, a Coluan's scent changes when they loose th-their virginity, adapting some of the scent of their partner."

Desire pumped through Clark's veins, heart beating with such intensity he thought it would explode. Gone were the self declared vows of keeping their relationship platonic and the want, the need, to have Brainy, to make him his own filled him. He only idly wondered if it was Brainy's scent doing this to him or if his own self control had just abandoned him.

Clark began to kiss the back of Brainy's neck, trailing upwards to his jaw line and then his cheek, his hands beginning to roam over Brainy's upper body. He smiled when he heard Brainy fight back a moan. He wanted to hear Brainy moan again, uncontrollably. He licked the black lines on the side of Brainy's neck, noting that his dream had been correct about their sensitivity when Brainy shivered and allowed one of his hands to roam freely as the other went down ward. His smile widened when he caressed Brainy's arousal, making Brainy moan loudly and his back arch to the touch.

"_God_, Brainy, I want you so, fucking, much," Clark whispered into Brainy's ear, caressing Brainy again and enjoying the feel of Brainy under his hands and the sounds Brainy was making.

"C-Clark," panted Brainy, cut off when Clark began to suck on his neck, making him moan again. "S-stop it."

Not hearing, or not listening to him, Clark continued to caress Brainy's body, memorizing how it felt and all of the delicious noised Brainy made.

"Clark stop," shouted Brainy.

There was no way Clark couldn't have heard him but he continued anyway. He began to unbutton Brainy's pajamas.

The next thing Clark knew he was laying on his back with Brainy hovering over him, who was back to wearing his normal clothes, and it was bright in the room. It had to be morning.

"Brainy?" Clark blinked, feeling very confused. "What happened?"

"You," began Brainy, looking very uncertain. "You had a reaction to my scent."

"I what?" asked Clark but then his eyes widened. He bolted upright, worried when Brainy backed away. "Brainy, did I-" He couldn't bring himself to finish.

For a moment Brainy looked like he didn't want to answer. He stayed where he was, out of Clark's immediate reach.

"You almost did."

"Brainy, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry," said Clark, turning to fully face Brainy but careful not to get any closer. He felt like bowing his head to the ground like he saw in a Japanese movie once and thought that he should. "I-"

"You weren't yourself," said Brainy. "You were quick to act, with no hesitance at all and you were swearing and saying things that were out of character for you. It's just as much my fault as yours for not realizing how my scent would affect you with your super sense of smell."

"I should have been able to control myself," said Clark, still wanting to bow his head and beg for forgiveness. "I'm so sorry."

Brainy looked away and didn't say anything.

"H-how did you stop me?" asked Clark.

"I temporarily changed my output energy to be similar to that of a red sun. That, plus how my scent was affecting you caused you to pass out," said Brainy softly.

"Oh, good," said Clark. He breathed a moment before looking up at Brainy again. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," said Brainy, but Clark could tell, but the sound of his voice that he had scared him.

Shame filled Clark and he had to look away.

"I-I'm still sorry I lost control like that."

"It just means we can't be around each other when I shower," said Brainy. "Or wet, period."

Clark half realized that it was water that made Brainy's scent more pronounced, wondering if he had started all this when he first licked Brainy's neck back at the farm. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder, surprised to see it was Brainy's even though they were the only two in the room.

Brainy leaned down and lightly kissed Clark's lips before wrapping his arms around Clark, though he still stood next to the bed instead of doing the easier thing of kneeling on it.

Wrapping his arms around Brainy in return, Clark worried that Brainy was scared to be on the bed with him. He wanted to pull Brainy fully against him and say everything would be alright but he couldn't guarantee that. He wanted to apologize again, to say that it wasn't even remotely Brainy's fault but his mouth stayed stubbornly closed. He wondered if it was a foolish dream to have Brainy accept his marriage proposal one day.


	6. Chapter 6

04/10/08

Hi everyone. First of all I'd like to thank everyone for their comments and encouragment yesterday. It made me feel so much better to read people's reviews and know that there were people who cared and were rooting for me. I'd especially like to thank Hobbitstown for her e-mail, dOMITUPSYK, inviso-girl and Yu-Gi-Ah for their support, Shugi for her suggestions and Noriko Sakuma for her picture. This chapter is for all of you. -hugs-

I'm also sad to say that this may be the last chapter for a while. I need to concentrate on studying and different projects that are coming up. I hope to be able to update, at least, every once and a while so not to leave everyone hanging (I knew I've always hated it when it tooks months to authors to update). And the hump of the semester is almost over. If things don't cool down after that I'll have lots of free time when school is over for the year in May. I look forward to reading your comments in the mean time.

Chapter 6

After the hug Brainy left to go work on something in his lab but, since Brainy hadn't said anything in particular, Clark had the feeling Brainy just wanted to get away from him.

As soon as Brainy was gone Clark got out of the bed and stripped it of its sheets and other covers. He wanted to burn them with his heat vision but knew he had to settle with just washing them.

When Clark had finished throwing them all in the wash and changed into his super suit, he went to where the others, minus Triplicate Girl and Brainy, were in the lounge.

"Where have you been Superman? Yea missed breakfast," said Bouncing Boy.

"Forget that, do you want to go to the beach with us?" asked Phantom Girl.

Superman swallowed.

"Beach?"

"Yeah, Triplicate Girl thought it would be fun if we all went somewhere together," said Saturn Girl.

"Good luck convincing Brainy to go. He never goes to the beach with us," said Lightning Lad. "Or anywhere with water. Do think he's afraid of frying his circuits?

"Be quiet," said Saturn Girl, in an annoyed tone.

"I bet Timber Wolf won't go," said Phantom Girl. "Wouldn't want to lick his fur clean later."

"I don't lick my fur," growled Timber Wolf.

"Don't be cranky," said Phantom Girl in typical baby talk tone. "Do yeah want me to rub your belly?"

Timber Wolf glared at her a moment before leaving the room.

"He's so cute when he's angry," giggled Phantom Girl.

"Is that why you're always trying to tick him off?" asked Bouncing Boy.

"That and it's fun," grinned Phantom Girl. She looked up at Superman. "So, you're coming right?"

"I don't think it's such a good idea," said Superman, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stiffened and realizing that Saturn Girl was now watching him.

"Come on Superman, don't tell me Brainy's been rubbing off on you," said Lightning Lad, smirking.

"He wishes," said Phantom Girl.

"Quit doing that," shouted Lightning Lad, looking like he wanted to say 'ew'.

"Homophobic there, Sparky?" asked Phantom Girl, looking pleased with herself.

"I just don't want to hear about my friends, doing, _things_," said Lightning Lad.

"Bouncing Boy and Triplicate Girl were making out," said Phantom Girl quickly.

"Quit it," shouted Lighting Lad, blushing like Bouncing Boy was.

"I need to start carrying around a camera," said Phantom Girl.

While Phantom Girl and Lighting Lad began to argue, Saturn Girl walked over to Superman and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Is everything alright?"

Glancing around to make sure no one was listening, Superman shrugged.

"What happened?" asked Saturn Girl.

"Cultural misunderstanding and a near disaster," mumbled Superman.

"What happened?" insisted Saturn Girl.

"It's not the kind of thing you talk about in a room filled of people you don't want to know, or at all for that matter," said Superman. "And I'll never forgive you if you read my mind about it."

"How am I supposed to help if I don't know what happened?" asked Saturn Girl.

"I don't think you can help," said Superman. "Brainy and I just need to talk."

"Triplicate Girl, if you don't stop asking the same question I will extend my shooting you with my canon threat to you stalking me," said Brainy in a very calm, but 'don't test me' voice that parents often used with their children.

"Here's your chance," said Saturn Girl.

Superman felt like fate hated him.

"But Brainy," whined the White Triplicate Girl, putting her hands together in a pleading fashion as she followed him into the lounge. "You don't even have to go swimming."

"You can read the entire time, just come with us," pleaded Purple Triplicate Girl. "Pretty please with sugar on top?"

The two Triplicate Girls stood together and stared at Brainy with pleading puppy dog eyes. Their Orange counter part was no where in sight.

"First of all there is no point in going to the beach if I'm not going to swim, which I AM NOT! Secondly, why would I go to the beach to do something I can do here without having to worry about sand and other annoying people? Third of all, you are only saying I don't have to swim so you can get me there and then plead with me to do so. I am not going and that is final," said Brainy, looking like he wanted to hit Triplicate Girl over the head with his pad filled with mechanical knowledge about cars.

"Please Brainy," said the White and Purple Triplicate Girls together, now sniffing as if trying not to cry.

Brainy quickly looked away.

"Triplicate Girl-"

The Coluan didn't get the chance to finish what he was going to say. Orange Triplicate came up from behind him and poured a bucket of water over his head.

"HA! You might as well go now because you're already wet!"

Eyes widening Brainy looked up to see who was all in the lounge.

For a split second, Brainy looked scared when he spotted Superman.

"Surrender to the all mighty power of-" began Orange Triplicate Girl.

She was cut off when Brainy ran past her down the hallway and Superman ran in the opposite direction.

"-the beach," said Orange Triplicate Girl in a confused matter.

"What just happened?" asked Lightning Lad.

"Something weird," said Bouncing Boy.

"Ow, I think you just hurt my brain with such an obvious statement," said Phantom Girl, groaning slightly.

--

Superman avoided everyone for the rest of the day. When he heard someone coming, he'd get away as quickly as possible by flying. He ate lunch way after everyone else, though he wasn't really hungry, and only went back to his and Brainy's room long enough to put the clean covers back onto the bed.

If you asked him later what he did that day he wouldn't be able to answer. The hours had dragged by with a mixture of panic and misery.

It was long after the time Superman usually went to bed when he thought it was about time to go back to his and Brainy's room, if only long enough for him to get some pajamas so he could sleep in his old room that night. When he got there he had to will himself not to go right back out because Brainy was sitting on the bed, apparently waiting for him with a 'we need to talk' look.

The internal battle in Superman's mind was decided for him when Brainy patted the spot next to him and his body complied without waiting for the mind's decision. Still, he didn't know what to say.

"I, I think I should have explained better earlier," said Brainy hesitantly. "I'm not mad at you."

"You're scared of me," said Superman before he stopped himself.

The followed silence was deafening until it was broken by something unexpected.

Brainy began to laugh.

Superman stared, unbelieving as Brainy laughed in such a way he hadn't seen since Virgil fake-made-out with himself back in the 21st centaury.

"You," laughed Brainy, now pointing at Superman. "Me, scared of you?"

It was getting to the point that Superman began to wonder if he should feel insulted instead of thinking Brainy was cute at a, supposedly, serious time.

"Clark, I could never be scared of you," said Brainy, calming down. "I've never felt safer with anyone then you."

The comment made Superman's heart skip a beat but it didn't make him worry any less about the conversation that was sure to follow.

"But I was scared of how my scent affected you," said Brainy, more serious now. "I never knew whether or not non-Coluans could detect a Coluan scent but I never risked testing it, if you couldn't tell by my conversation with Triplicate Girl."

Superman nodded, fidgeting by ringing the end of his cape in his hands.

"The Coluan scent is, obviously, triggered by water because on Colu you don't get wet around a person unless you _like_ them. Needless to say my people don't do such things as go swimming or other water based activities together. You only get wet around a person if you're trying to, to put it bluntly, to attract them as a mate," said Brainy, blushing at this point.

When Superman didn't say anything Brainy coughed and continued, "Most unions on Colu are arranged by the parents so I suppose you can say using our scents is sometimes necessary to do what needs to be done to, to procreate. When there is already attraction there the scent affects a potential mate more strongly and, well, you know the rest of that part."

Superman nearly tore his cape so he was forced to let it go and concentrate, instead, by staring at the floor and keeping his hands on his knees.

"I mentioned before that after a Coluan looses their virginity their scent changes but that's not the only change that occurs," said Brainy, more softly now. "They become immune to the scent of others and others are no longer attracted to the scent they give off, basically because they can tell that they, essentially, belong to another."

There was a long period of silence and Superman wracked his brain, trying to think of something to say, but Brainy spoke before he could think of anything.

"I want to belong to you Clark, but I don't want it to be because my scent drove you to it."

Superman's head swing so he was facing Brainy, now very aware of Brainy's expectant expression. He swallowed.

"Brainy… I, we can't."

Brainy's eyes widened but he quickly looked away.

Superman cursed himself. He needed to explain before Brainy got the wrong idea.

"I'm too strong, Brainy. I could hurt you."

Slowly, Brainy turned to look at Superman.

"Clark, you do pay attention on our missions, don't you?"

The question surprised Superman but he nodded.

"You are aware that I've been thrown through walls, trees, things made out of metal and punched by Validus, who is nearly as strong as you are, and still get back up in a matter of seconds to continue fighting, right?" asked Brainy, his tone showing that he was trying to be patient with a concept he found idiotic.

"Yes, but-" began Superman.

Brainy didn't let him finish, "And, even on occasions I do get hurt I heal much faster then most."

"Yes, but-" began Superman.

This time Brainy silenced Superman by turning, kneeling forward, taking hold of Superman's face and kissing him.

When they separated, Superman tried to blink away his surprised.

Brainy just smiled.

"You know I trust you not to hurt me, don't you?"

Superman blushed. He had to struggle not to pull Brainy to him and kiss him again. Possibly more if he did with the memory of how good it felt to touch Brainy still so very fresh in his mind. He swallowed.

He knew, since Brainy was offering, that Coluan traditions were either fine with this or Brainy just didn't care. Still, he had to be sure.

"Aren't you, ah, a little young to-"

"My Coluan age maybe, but we're not on Colu and even if we were I'm an adult in my culture," said Brainy, moving his hands so they were no longer holding Superman's face and, instead, rested comfortably on the back of Superman's neck.

"But that's since you were three," said Superman, finding it harder and harder to keep his hands on his knees.

"The United Planets recognizes, by law, the cultural differences of other planets and, if it makes you feel any better, most Coluans become adults at the Earth age of thirteen," said Brainy.

It did make Superman feel better to know that Brainy couldn't easily be hurt by him and, to ease much of his earlier worries, that he wasn't a pedophile. He freed his hands from their self induced restraints and pulled Brainy to him for a kiss.

The kiss wasn't sexual in nature, more on the lines of slow and exploratory, much like their first kiss had been.

When they separated, Superman softly touched the side of Brainy's face.

"I love you, Querl, and I want to be with you forever. I want to belong to you just as much as you would belong me, but I'm not ready to take that step just yet."

Brainy blushed beautifully and smiled, turning his face to kiss Superman's hand.

"I understand."

Without changing into their pajamas, the heroes laid down in each other's arms and settled in for the night though neither really slept. Superman, who had feared it might have never been like this again, couldn't stop himself from playing with Brainy's hair and occasionally kissing his forehead throughout the night while Brainy was just too happy to sleep, bathing in the feeling of what it was to be loved by Clark Kent.

At some point Superman must have fallen asleep. He didn't remember falling asleep, or even considering trying, but his mind was alerting him to wake up. He blinked his eyes opened and spotted Brainy starting to get out of bed. He sat up and pulled Brainy to him before laying back down.

"Clark-" began Brainy.

"Five more minutes," mumbled Superman, yawning and playing with Brainy's hair as he had been doing when he fell asleep.

Relaxing against Superman, Brainy didn't protest. He didn't see any harm in complying with the request.

Superman tried not to smile too much and kissed Brainy's forehead, wondering how many times he could get away with asking for 'five more minutes'.

The idea to close his eyes, just for a moment, came to Superman and it sounded very appealing so he complied only to wake up again later. He knew it had to have been longer then five minutes but Brainy was still there. He peered down, heart warmed by the image of Brainy's sleeping face, kissed his cheek and wrapped the blanket more securely around the smaller boy.

Though Superman wondered what had woken him this time, he didn't give much thought to it. He took hold of Brainy's hand, that had come to rest on his chest, threading their fingers together and tried to guess what size Brainy's finger would be.

"Bouncing Boy, we should leave them alone," said Saturn Girl's voice from outside the door, trying to talk quietly while trying to make a point with her tone.

"Look, I know its normal for Brainy to disappear for hours, sometimes days, but not Superman. Plus, with the weirdness from yesterday, I'm really worried," said Bouncing Boy. "Besides, someone ought to tell Superman, or at least talk to Brainy about telling Superman about Lyle. It's almost the anniversary."

Saturn Girl hushed Bouncing Boy and Superman could almost hear her glare. They continued to argue in softer tones and though it would have been easy to hear them with his super hearing Superman had forgotten about them for the moment.

Superman wracked his brain. He knew he heard the name 'Lyle' somewhere before and, with the mentioning of a anniversary, he knew Lyle had to be the one who died. His eyes turned to Brainy when he felt him move.

Though still asleep, Brainy seemed to be, at some level, aware of the conversation outside their door and moved closer to Superman, mumbling something undecipherable.

Not wanting Brainy to wake up to their friends talking about such things right outside their door, Superman tried to send a mental message to Saturn Girl for her and Bouncing Boy to leave.

"We'll talk to Superman later, but lets leave them for now," said Saturn Girl and the Superman thought it was very possible that she dragged Bouncing Boy away.

Brainy slept on and Superman kissed the base of Brainy's finger which resided next to the pinky on the his left hand and made a wish.


	7. Chapter 7

04/21/08

Chapter 7

"Bouncing Boy, the next time you feel the need to use a highly dangerous, untested maneuver; don't," said Brainy.

"Hey, I got us away from the Legion of Super villains fire, didn't I?" asked Bouncing Boy in his defense.

"Yes, but in the process the Legion of Super villains got away from us and we left a good part of the cruiser behind. Well worth the risk to our lives," said Brainy. "Why don't you go practice in the simulator so we may continue living the next time you decide to do something stupid."

"Hey, who's leader? You or-" began Bouncing Boy but stopped at the glare Brainy was giving him. "I think I'll go to the simulator now." He turned into his ball shape and quickly bounced out of the room, nearly knocking into Superman at the hanger's doorway. "Don't go in there! He's still cranky as all hell!"

"You try being happy about the prospect of having to fix the cruiser, practically from scratch," Brainy yelled after him as the Legion's leader frantically bounced away.

Ignoring the warning, Superman slowly walked into the hanger.

"How's it going?"

Rubbing his eyes, Brainy sighed.

"I know I wanted to upgrade the cruiser but this is ridiculous. We barely had a haul for you to drag back to earth after that stunt."

Superman glanced up at the cruiser, its wings and engines gone with the remaining haul severely battered. A good portion of the damage had been from the Legion of Super villain's ship but Bouncing Boy hadn't helped mattered with trying out the maneuver he had still been in the process of thinking up.

"Wouldn't it be easier to get a new cruiser? There's hardly anything left of this one anymore."

"It would, but that's not an option. The Legion is government funded and we scarcely get enough for basic supplies most of the time. Plus it takes months for the paper work to go through for requests for new equipment. As annoying as fixing the old cruiser is, its less of a headache then going through all that and risk not having any transportation the next time we need to go out into space," said Brainy.

"Then where will you get the materials?" asked Superman.

"I can probably get a good portion of what I need from the containment dome I used during the alignment. Scrap a few of my old inventions if I need to and if I need anything else I can check a few of the local scrap yards," said Brainy.

"Sounds like it's going to be difficult," said Superman, thinking of what he could do to make it easier.

"Not nearly as difficult as making the cruiser battle worthy when I first joined the Legion," said Brainy.

Superman's ears perked up. It wasn't often Brainy talked about his early days in the Legion.

"The cruiser had been half its size now, could barely crawl after the people we would try to peruse, had no fire power to speak of and back then I had nothing old to scrap and had to rely on whatever junk I found laying around," said Brainy.

"How did you ever get anything done?" asked Superman.

"Well with the basic supplies we usually get parts as well and I had help back then," said Brainy, looking up at the cruiser and began scanning it with his arm.

_Had help_, thought Superman, another piece in the puzzle. While thinking over what he knew he thought of something else and smiled.

"You have help now. I'll be right back."

Before Brainy could question what Superman meant Superman left the hanger and headquarters all together. He wasn't sure what to think of it and started the work on the cruiser's bridge.

A few hours later the hanger's door that lead outside opened.

Superman poked his head inside, grinning like a kid who got to open Christmas presents early.

"Hey Brainy, do you think these will help?"

Not able to tell what Superman was talking about from where he was, Brainy left what he was working on and joined Superman outside. His eyes widened at the sight of the severed wings of the Legion Cruiser.

"How-"

"I went back in space and retrieved them," said Superman, grinning. "They weren't that far from where they came off either. I hope this-"

Superman was cut off when Brainy covered his lips in a kiss.

Brainy smiled at Superman's blush.

"This will help a lot, thank you."

Even with the retrieval of the cruiser's wings the repairs for the cruiser would take several days, especially since Brainy had to do nearly all the work himself. Bouncing Boy tried to help but he only knew enough to do repairs, not build it from the ground up.

Soon enough the cruiser became a full time project with Brainy only leaving the hanger to get tools or parts from his labs. By the third day of this, Superman began to consider physically dragging Brainy from the lab for some food and rest.

"Don't tie your cape in a knot Superman," said Lightning Lad when Superman voiced his concern to the others at lunch when Brainy failed to show up again. "Three days is like a small sprint compared to the marathons he used to have when he stuck himself in the lab on some project or another."

"Yeah, this one time Brainy locked himself away for nearly a month. Actually I think it was because of the cruiser that time too, back when it was a piece of junk," said Phantom Girl. "And Cosmic Boy told us to leave him alone because," she made a serious face and deepened her voice, "Brainiac Five is just doing what's best for the Legion."

Lightning Lad made a face.

"He was always working on something and it was always something that _just couldn't wait_. I think Cosmic Boy assigned him so much stuff on purpose to keep Brainy away from the missions. Didn't think it would keep him away from having a life."

"Cosmic Boy was just doing what he thought best," said Saturn Girl.

"Yeah, and Cosmic Boy was _always _right," grumbled Lightning Lad.

"At least the marathons stopped when Lyle-" began Triplicate Girl but cut herself off as if she had said a dirty word.

"You guys have mentioned Lyle before," said Superman. "Who is he?"

Triplicate Girl looked around desperately before 'accidentally' knocking over her drink and said, "Oh, look at that. Need a towel." She ran off.

"Triplicate Girl, it's alright. We need to tell him about Lyle sooner or later anyway," Bouncing Boy called after her.

"I still need a towel," grumbled Triplicate Girl.

"Bouncing Boy, perhaps now isn't the best time," said Saturn Girl.

"You keep saying that but is there really a good time? Besides, Timber Wolf doesn't know anything about Lyle either since we've been avoiding talking about him but we can't keep avoiding him if we're going to do anything for the anniversary," said Bouncing Boy, clearly annoyed with the whole thing.

"What anniversary?" asked Timber Wolf. "This guy dead or what?"

Returning to the table, Triplicate Girl began to clean up her spilt drink.

"We're assuming so."

"How can you not know?" asked Superman.

The Legionnaires that knew the answer all exchanged looked.

"Perhaps we should start at the beginning," said Saturn Girl softly.

"Lyle Norg was a scientist specializing in xenochemistry," began Bouncing Boy. "Before we knew him, he was working with his father in the Science Police. _Somehow_ Mr. Norg got samples of alien DNA for Lyle to experiment with to create an invisibility serum. By the time Lyle had successfully created a serum, he discovered that his father promised to hand over Lyle's research to the Science Police all along so Lyle injected the only existing serum into himself and lied about it before contacting Brainy for help. Brainy convinced Cosmic Boy to let Lyle to join the Legion. With the serum a permanent part of his blood stream, Lyle could become invisible and joined the Legion as Invisible Kid."

"At first we thought Lyle would distrust us because of his background with the Science Police," said Lighting Lad.

"But boy he was so excited to be here," exclaimed Phantom Girl, grinning in memory. "He ran around the place trying to help in whatever he could. He was friendly, funny and really smart like Brainy, but different, you know? He couldn't do everything Brainy could but he looked at things in a way that Brainy couldn't. More creatively."

"We all thought they would hit it off because they were both genius's but we were wrong about that too," said Triplicate Girl. "They fought about everything and competed over their inventions."

"It was actually Lyle that made the original design for the flight rings but flighty was all they could do," said Saturn Girl. "Brainy took it and improved it to the flight rings we have today, the capability to breath in space, made flying easier to control and so on."

"Saturn Girl was the one who got sick of their fighting all the time and threatened to lock them in a closet together," said Phantom Girl, teasingly. "Cosmic Boy was even willing to go along with it to make it stop."

"Either way, they eventually became friends. It was even Lyle who gave Brainy his nickname," said Bouncing Boy.

"It drove the little guy nuts," laughed Lightning Lad. "Kept yelling at us to stop calling him such a demeaning nickname but, as you can see, the name stuck."

"They became very close. During a mission when we thought Lyle had been killed by Validus, Brainy was close to panic. When Lyle reappeared Brainy," began Triplicate Girl but had to pause to force back tears as a smile graced her lips. "Brainy actually hugged Lyle and back then Brainy didn't allow anyone to touch him at all."

As Superman tried to absorb all this, he noticed that Saturn Girl looked like she wanted to add something but couldn't bring herself to do it. He was relieved when Lighting Lad put his hand over Saturn Girl's in a comforting fashion, but he still worried about what it was she couldn't say.

"It was barely a week later that Lyle had to leave to do some experiments on a star that only shines once every hundred years or so that gives healing properties to the planet below it. He was only supposed to be gone a month," said Bouncing Boy softly.

"Lyle kept in contact with the Legion about his progress, talking to Brainy nearly everyday over the view screen," said Saturn Girl. She wiped a few tears away from her eyes with the hand Lightning Lad wasn't holding. "At the end of the month he said he was going to be a little longer then he thought and, and we never heard from him again."

"When we couldn't get back in contact with him and when none of the neighboring planets had seen him we went looking but couldn't find him," said Lightning Lad.

"Brainy cut himself off from the rest of us even more then ever before," said Triplicate Girl. "Didn't go on missions, didn't leave his lab unless absolutely necessary and didn't allow anyone in."

"Cosmic Boy left and Lightning Lad became leader," said Bouncing Boy. "He kinda, ah, tricked Brainy into leaving the lab and found a way to lock him out of it until he would talk to somebody about it."

Superman didn't think he ever felt more grateful to Lightning Lad then he did in that moment. He tried to give Lighting Lad a smile but the former leader looked away.

"I worked with Brainy about it for a long time," said Saturn Girl softly. "I guess you could say he became the person you met just a month before we went to the past to get you, Superman. In shortly after you come back from your next trip to the past it will be the anniversary of Lyle's leaving. A month after that, his disappearance."

"If it's so close how come the little guy doesn't seem depressed or anything?" asked Timber Wolf.

"Brainy has never been good at keeping track of time when it didn't suit his purpose or when he's busy," said Phantom Girl. "You know that time he was working on the cruiser for a month I mentioned? When he came out he thought he had only been in there for a day."

"So what you're saying is that Brainy might not even realize the anniversary is coming?" asked Superman.

"I doubt Brainy made an effort to remember such a painful part of his life," commented Saturn Girl with a nod.

"He probably doesn't even realize that he's been in the hanger for three days," said Phantom Girl.

After lunch and the rehashing the past had been over Superman made a sandwich, grabbed a bottled water and went to the hanger. He stared at the cruiser a moment, amazed that it was back in its general shape, even if it was still battered looking.

"Brainy?"

From wherever Brainy was, he extended his neck over the top of the cruiser to look at who he was speaking to.

"Yes?"

Superman held up the plate and water for Brainy to see.

"I brought you some lunch."

"Thank you, but I'm in the middle of-" began Brainy.

"You've been in here for three days," interrupted Superman.

Brainy paused, checking his internal clock that he usually ignored to have a better sense of time as his completely organic teammates saw it.

"Oh, be down in a second."

Watching as Brainy's head went back to wherever the rest of his body was, Superman wondered if he should ask about Lyle or wait until the anniversary was closer to bring his boyfriend's old friend up. He sighed, not really wanting to do anything that would make Brainy sad.

Walking over from the other side of the hanger, Brainy was cleaning his hands on some sort of towel.

"I'm assuming you've already eaten."

"Yeah, with the others. When you didn't come," started Superman but he hesitated. He walked over to the workbench and place the food on it. "I decided to bring the food to you."

Following him, Brainy sat down when Superman suggested to the seat. He began eating the sandwich, but paused about halfway through.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" asked Superman, taken back.

"Is something wrong?" repeated Brainy, now giving Superman his full attention. "You seem nervous about something and you've been, well, staring at me."

Blushing, Superman had to resist the urge to hide behind his cape.

"I, I'm just worried I suppose."

"About me?" asked Brainy.

Superman stared.

"You were staring at me, I'm assuming it deals with me," said Brainy.

"Well," began Superman. He sighed. "Yes."

Brainy crossed his arms and waited.

"I, well, you," began Superman, mentally kicking himself for trying to talk without thinking. Yet, even when he tried, he couldn't think. How was he supposed to say this?

_Well Brainy when you didn't show up for lunch your most trusted friends told me some very personal things about you and your friend Lyle. This might sound completely stupid but how close were you two? I only ask because of how everyone was worried about telling me, your boyfriend, about him and you two sounded like you were very close. By the way, do you know the anniversary of his death is coming up?_

Realizing that was, not only badly phrased but, made him look jealous of Brainy's first real, _dead_, friend, Superman covered his face with his hand, to get away from Brainy looking at him if only for a moment.

Brainy reached up and touched Superman's arm, waiting for Superman to look at him before speaking.

"Clark, you can talk to me about anything that's worrying you."

_Even about your past_? Superman wanted to ask but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You," began Superman but he sighed and smiled softly. "You shouldn't stay in here for days on end. It's not good for you and I worry about you." Seeing Brainy giving him an unsure look, he added, "That's all."

"I didn't mean to stay in here for so long but if it will make you feel better I can set up a timer or something so I don't loose track of time," said Brainy.

Superman smiled but thought of how much he really hated the cruelty of time.


	8. Chapter 8

05/14/08

...I think this is a first of it's kind... I've actually had this written for a while but I've been too embarrassed to post it, but after a few people asked for it I feel like I shouldn't avoid it any longer. Can't wait to hear opinions. -blush- Oh, NOT WORK SAFE! Thought you should know... -blushes even more-

Chapter 8

Clark was having difficulty balancing his books, a few papers and other research materials he had gotten from the Daily Planet. He was going to write a story to put in his portfolio about some of the recent crime in Metropolis and compare it to some of the other major cities like Gotham and Jump City. The story wasn't assigned to him, but he thought it would be good to be prepared for whenever Mr. White decided to give him an interview about a possible Reporter's position at the paper.

Balancing a couple of the books on his leg, Clark tried to reach into his pocket for his apartment's key. He had just remembered he was reaching into the wrong pocket when the books fell over and knocked the papers out of his other hand.

"Crud," mumbled Clark, bending to his knees to gather everything up. He looked around before using his super speed to make the process faster but, when he was done, he noticed one of the books was missing.

"You ought to be more careful with your powers," said a familiar voice.

Nearly jumping out of surprise, Clark turned and saw Brainy standing in the doorway of his, now open, apartment holding the missing book and looking through it casually as if it was only natural for him to be there.

"Someone could have come out and saw you," said Brainy, looking up from the book to meet Clark's eyes. He was smiling warmly.

The surprise wore off and Clark smiled in return. He scooped up his things and stood, only bending over slightly to kiss his boyfriend. It was only then he realized that Brainy had been growing taller ever since their trip to the past. The change had been so gradual he had barely noticed and now Brainy was up to his shoulder instead of his chest like he had been when they first met.

"I don't think they'll notice what I'm doing with a cute green boy from the future in my doorway."

"Then you should come inside before anyone sees me," smirked Brainy, walking into the apartment.

Laughing slightly, Clark followed him in and closed the door.

"How did you get in?"

"I just had the time bubble arrive inside the apartment," said Brainy.

Clark was about to say something but it was forgotten when he looked around his living room. He typically wasn't a messy person but with the work he had been doing, both at the planet and stuff he brought back with him, he hadn't had the time to straighten up the entire work week he had been in the past.

Papers and research books were everywhere, along with some scattered take out containers. It could only have been worse if he had left his clothes laying around.

Feeling his face heat up, Clark dumped the stuff he had brought back that day on a clear end table and started to pick up the trash scattered around the room.

"I, I'm sorry for the mess. I've been busy with work and I didn't know you were coming and-"

Brainy stepped in front of Clark and took hold of his hands.

"It's fine Clark. It wouldn't have been a surprise if you knew I was coming."

Laughing off his nervousness, Clark smiled.

"I love surprises."

As Clark watched Brainy take the garbage away from him and throw it away, he remembered something he had thought of once before. He snuck up behind Brainy, wrapped his arms around the other boy's middle and kissed his cheek.

"Honey, I'm home."

Brainy's face burned a deep green at the new pet name and looked away.

"That sounds like something from Bouncing Boy's ancient television collection."

Clark grinned and forced back the urge to tell Brainy how cute he was.

"It's only classic television here."

Not commenting, Brainy cleared his throat.

"Do you want your surprise or not?"

"I thought you were my surprise," said Clark, releasing Brainy and his grin widened, loving how his comment made Brainy blush further. "What is it?"

"Well," began Brainy, he turned to look at Clark but turned away again before their eyes met. "I had a conversation with Triplicate Girl back when we first started," he blushed, "dating and she told me how couples usually celebrate certain events,"

Not sure what this meant, Clark thought about he knew about the future. Was there some sort of holiday in May, besides Mother's Day, that he didn't know about?

"I thought the concept of a one month anniversary was ridiculous and thought celebrating a quarter of a year anniversary made much more sense," said Brainy softly.

Realization hit Clark and he felt incredibly stupid for not realizing it sooner. Still, it was a little complicated on when they got together. Though they now considered Valentine's Day their first date they didn't actually get together until they went to past and he wasn't sure what day that would have been in the future. Then he thought of what day it was in the future and became even more confused.

Seeming to realize this, Brainy turned to him and managed a shy smile.

"I know I came early, considering it's only the twelfth, but I figured this way it would give me the opportunity to do something for you since you always seem to be the one doing things for me. And this way, we can celebrate the weekend in the past together before we go back to the future."

Clark smiled and took Brainy in his arms again. This time he leisurely kissed Brainy's lips, caressing his face as he pulled away.

"I like doing things for you. You didn't have to surprise me with anything."

"I wanted to," said Brainy, kissing Clark again.

This time when they separated Brainy pulled away, taking hold of Clark's hand and suggested towards the kitchen.

"Come on, before it gets cold."

Brainy pulled on Clark's hand and lead him to the kitchen where the table was set with a nice tablecloth and lit candles. On the plates were stake dinners with mash potatoes and green beans; one of Clark's favorite meals, complete with chocolate milk. The room even smelt nice, a scented candle off to the side.

"You did all this," said Clark in awe, knowing he didn't have a table cloth or candles of any kind in his apartment when he left it that morning. He especially knew he didn't have any of that food in his refrigerator.

"Well, yes and no. I set everything up but I didn't make the food. I mean I've helped make food but I didn't think it would be a good time to experiment making it myself so I got it from a restaurant in the future and brought it back here," said Brainy very quickly. He blushed when Clark turned to look at him. "Is it too much?"

Clark responded by kissing Brainy until he thought his lungs would explode.

"It's wonderful."

Before they sat down, Clark called his parents to let them know he wouldn't be coming back that weekend.

"Nothings wrong," said Clark over the phone. "I just have company and-" He paused, blushing. He turned to the table where Brainy was sitting. "Ma says hi."

Brainy chuckled, amazing at how well Mrs. Kent knew her son to realize that Brainy was there without Clark saying anything hinting towards it.

"Hello Mrs. Kent."

"She says call her Martha," said Clark. "Pa says to ignore her and to call her whatever you feel comfortable with. Ma says since I'm not coming over she'll make the pies the next time I'm in the past, ah, present. Pa says- Ma, Pa, should I just give the phone to Brainy?" He made a face. "Pa!"

Though Brainy could have easily listened in, he thought it was better to leave the mystery as is. Besides the faces Clark were making probably wouldn't be nearly as funny if he knew what they were about.

"Yes Ma, I'll tell him, I promise," said Clark. "Love you too, bye." He hung up the phone and turned to Brainy. "Ma sends her love."

This was not something Brainy really understood. He had only met Martha Kent twice, truly interacted with her once. How could she be so attached to him already? Then again, he would be lying if he said that he didn't like her and Jonathon Kent.

Clark joined Brainy at the table and they began to eat. They talked about what they had done in their respective times while the other was away. Brainy brought Clark up to date on Phantom Girl's latest attempts to annoy Timber Wolf to death and Lightning Lad wincing whenever something suggestive was said about any of their friends while Clark talked about his friends in the mail room and the couple of older reporters that seemed to have taken a liking to him.

"Do you ever get sick of it?" asked Brainy when the meal was nearly over.

"Get sick of what?" asked Clark.

"Going back and forth in time," clarified Brainy.

Clark paused to give Brainy his full attention.

"It's a little strange but I've never gotten sick of it. Both times have people I love in them and I love going back and forth to see them. Sometimes it feels, well, sad that my two lives are so separated but that's why I really enjoy it when you come to the past, my present, to see me." He smiled. "In fact, with you here, this is the first time this apartment has felt like a home."

Taking this all in, Brainy blushed slightly making Clark's smile widen.

For a moment Clark considered telling Brainy about his desire to always come home to Brainy but he suppressed the urge. It as a little embarrassing and he hadn't had the chance to talk to Saturn Girl about his plans yet.

When they were done eating they blew out the candles and cleared the table.

Not wanting to seem like a slob, Clark filled the sink with water and started to do the dishes. He jumped when Brainy came up next to him and started to dry them.

"Brainy-"

"Relax Clark," said Brainy. "A little water on my hands won't do anything."

Hoping that Brainy took Clark's super sense of smelling into account, Clark continued to wash the dishes, nearly dropping some on several because of pure nerves. He felt like he was preparing himself to run a marathon at the first sign, sniff, of watermelon to reach his senses. He only relaxed when all the dishes were done and put away.

"If you were so worried you should have said something," said Brainy.

"I didn't want to seem paranoid," said Clark.

"Your jumping every time I picked up a wet dish didn't help you in that maneuver," said Brainy.

"I really jumped?" asked Clark.

"Only a little," said Brainy, kissing Clark's cheek. "Why don't you sit on the couch and I'll get the dessert?"

Clark smiled, grateful that Brainy wasn't going to tease him and went to sit on the couch as instructed. As he sat he remembered that the room was still a mess and glanced over his should to see if Brainy was coming back yet. Using super speed he cleaned the room and sat back down, grinning.

"I hope you remember where everything you need is later," said Brainy, walking into the room with a small red canister.

"Half the fun is in looking," said Clark jokingly.

Sitting down next to Clark, Brainy opened the canister to reveal-

Clark gulped; chocolate covered strawberries. He knew that Brainy knew about a lot of different things but he wondered if Brainy knew that strawberries were an aphrodisiac and how Clark had been restraining himself all evening from jumping Brainy. He really didn't need anymore added temptation.

"I got these at a sweet shop on my way to pick up the food from the restaurant," said Brainy, picking up one of the strawberries and holding it by it's green leaves, "I hope you'll like them." He held the strawberry out to Clark, not for him to take but for him to eat out of his hand.

Heart racing Clark was finding it very difficult to swallow. His head was telling him to act as if he misunderstood, to take the strawberry and eat it on his own, dealing with whatever awkwardness that might arise, but his heart…

Slowly leaning forward Clark opened his mouth, taking the strawberry inside. As he bit down, he subconsciously closed his eyes, memorizing the taste of the rich chocolate melting into the sweetness of the strawberry and the feel of Brainy's fingertips grazing against his lips. Chewing, but not backing away, he opened his eyes, mesmerized by the way his boyfriend was looking at him.

What served as Brainy's pupils were white rectangles that worked differently then most humanoid's pupils. They didn't widen or shrink to let in or restrict the entrance of light like the black pupils of other beings. His irises were also different, taking up the remainder of his eye instead of allowing room for the white part. The top half of his magenta eyes were always a shade darker then the bottom half, occasionally taking up more of the eye according to his mood.

Now the entire iris of Brainy's eyes were darkened, but not in a way that cause Clark to worry like it had, along with Brainy's pupil, darkened while Brainy had been haunted by Brainiac's memories. Now Brainy's eyes were darkened in a way that Clark recognized as arousal, along with his darkened cheek and his slightly parted lips, Brainy was just begging to be kissed.

Swallowing, Clark kissed the tips of Brainy's fingers, knocking away the end of the strawberry from Brainy's grasp. He then kissed Brainy's palm, then wrist and traveled up his arm in a similar fashion.

The closer Clark moved, hovering over him, the more Brainy leaned back. He was slightly surprised when Clark pulled Brainy's legs onto the couch and settled himself between them as the kissing reached left the arm, went to the shoulder then across the collar bone, up the neck and to the cheek.

"I love you," said Clark before claiming Brainy's lips, kissing him with more passion, more hunger then he could ever remember doing before.

As they separated, panting, Brainy wrapped his arms around Clark, caressing the back of his neck with his fingers.

"Do you know why I like strawberries?"

Loving the way Brainy was touching him, so softly, Clark couldn't find his voice. He swallowed and shook his head.

"They remind me of you, _your_ scent," said Brainy, kissing the side of Clark's face between his words. He brought his lips closer to Clark's ear and whispered, "A whole field of strawberries, earthy but sweet."

Clark couldn't contain a moan from escaping him when Brainy went from whispering to nibbling on his ear.

Releasing his hold on Clark's ear, Brainy whispered again, "I love you."

Feeling like his will power, his restrictions on himself, had broken at those words Clark couldn't stop himself from attacking Brainy's lips with his own, hands refreshing their memory of what it was to touch his boyfriend as a lover would. He had to use what little will power he had left to pull back.

"I love you, Querl. I want to be one with you but I don't want to do anything you don't want. Tell now me when I can stop myself from going any further."

"I love you, Clark, and I want to belong to you more then I've ever wanted anything in my life. Please, don't stop."

At these words Clark kissed Brainy again with wild abandon, savoring those words as their passion further ignited. He remembered seeing how Brainy had made his clothes go into a normal state he reached down to the legion belt buckle and turned it.

If Brainy was surprised that Clark knew how to do this, he didn't show it. He continued to kiss Clark, his hands undoing and pulling off his soon to be lover's tie.

Pulling at the bottom of Brainy's shirt, Clark groaned about having to pull away from Brainy's lips but did so, so he could quickly do away with the offensive garment. The moment it was gone he reattached himself to Brainy's lips, hands now exploring previously untouched territory.

Clark loved the way Brainy reacted to the touches, back arching, hips thrusting, gasps and moans escaping his throat, possible words muffled by their attached lips. The more he heard, the more he wanted and he knew he had to taste that green skin again.

Moving away from Brainy's lips, Clark licked down Brainy's neck, pausing to softly suck upon it and force another delicious moan to escape his genius.

"C-Claaark," moaned Brainy, desperately holding onto Clark's shirt. "Unless you want me to rip this off-"

Cutting off Brainy's sentence, Clark ran his finger over the thin black line that was just below the Coluan's stomach, making his boyfriend almost whimper in pleasure. He really didn't want to separate himself from Brainy, not even for a moment but he couldn't remember what he was wearing, whether or not it was important for it so stay intact. He sat up slightly, pulling off his shirt, thinking that there had to be a quicker way to get undressed.

Brainy kissed Clark's newly exposed chest, kissing down until he reached Clark's nipples, taking one in his mouth, sucking upon it while caressing the other with his hand.

Clark moaned and through the fog of pleasure clouding his mind he realized that they were still on the couch. He lifted Brainy up, loving how Brainy's legs came up to wrap around his waist, and sped to his bed room, taking off his shoes and the remainder of his clothes as he went.

Placing Brainy on the bed, Clark loved how Brainy's eyes darkened further at the sight of him, eyes nervously, but appreciably, drinking him all in. He kissed those forever tempting lips again, undoing Brainy's belt.

Slowly removing the belt, Clark momentarily pulled away from brainy and carefully placed the belt to the side on his night stand, not wanting anything to happen to the invention that often served to protect his love from danger.

While Clark had placed his belt to the side, Brainy removed his shoes and, not having socks since he didn't need them, moved to remove his pants.

Clark was quick to notice and put his hands over Brainy's to stop him.

"Let me."

Blush darkened Brainy's face and for a moment he held very still. With a small nod, he removed his hands.

Swallowing to calm himself, Clark pulled downwards on Brainy's pants unsure if he had grabbed Brainy's underwear at the same time or if the Coluan just didn't wear any for once the pants were gone, Brainy laid before him completely naked. He swallowed again, observing the body before him before noticing that Brainy had turned his face away.

Reaching forward, Clark turned Brainy's face to him and kissed him slowly, almost to the point that it hurt. When he pulled back he whispered, "You're beautiful."

Brainy's eyes widened slightly and, for a moment, Clark thought he was going to cry but he smiled and pulled Clark down to him for another kiss.

As they kissed Clark moved to join Brainy on the bed, straddling Brainy's hips with both boys moaning when their naked bodies touched for the first time. His own hips seemed to instinctively thrust, rubbing their arousals together and causing such pleasure that neither boy had ever known before.

Though that had felt better then words could describe Clark knew this wasn't what Brainy wanted. He knew that Brainy wanted to, to _belong_ to him and he didn't think dry humping counted. He needed something to make it easier so he wouldn't hurt Brainy.

"Check the drawer of your night stand," said Brainy in a way that made Clark think Brainy had somehow gained the ability to read minds.

Sitting up, Clark opened his night stand and pulled out a bottle of lubricant that he knew he didn't put there. Still there would be plenty of time to ask questions later, what mattered was right now.

As Clark reached into the nightstand, Brainy had sat up and kissed Clark when he turned his face back towards him. He took off Clark's glasses, running his hands through his kryptonian's hair as their tongues battled. When they separated he placed the glasses on the night stand next to his belt before looking into Clark's eyes.

"How do you want to do this?"

Clark shivered at the question, swallowing becoming more difficult as his mind tried desperately to work properly. He knew he wanted to see Brainy, watch every face his Coluan made so he knew what felt good and be better aware of the possibility of hurting him. He also wanted to watch as Brainy gasped and moaned and kiss that tempting mouth whenever possible.

Swallowing again, Clark whispered, "Lay on your back against the pillows."

Watching as Brainy did so, Clark almost smiled at how Brainy's head now rested on the pillow Clark had taken from the future to sleep with when he couldn't be with Brainy. He did smile at the idea that the pillow would be a part of this night and would forever smell of Brainy when they were through.

Grabbing a slightly larger pillow, Clark lifted Brainy's hips a moment and tucked the pillow underneath. He blushed at Brainy's curious look.

"I, ah, d-did some research. I-It's suppose to make it easier."

Brainy smiled and sat up to kiss Clark before returning to his previous position and spreading out his legs.

No longer able to swallow, Clark opened the bottle and poured out some of the lubricant. Probably too much because much of it dripped off his fingers as he tried to make sure they were all coated properly.

Slipping in the first finger, Clark watched Brainy's face for any sign of discomfort. He watched as Brainy breathed very carefully, moving his finger around in an attempt to stretch out the muscle and waited for Brainy's nod.

Clutching the sheets as the second finger joined the first, Brainy's breathing became more ragged, trying desperately not to make any noise that would discourage Clark from continuing.

Clark nearly retreated when Brainy gasped, but was quickly reassured when the gas was followed by a thrust of Brainy's hips. He realized that he must have found the pleasure spot in Brainy, adding a third finger, and tried to find it again.

Thrusting upwards again Brainy felt the need to touch Clark very badly, wanting so much to kiss him. Still he knew it would be very hard in this position, the only way to do so would be to extend out his arms or neck. Though Clark had seen Brainy stretch himself out in such ways in battle or working in the lab, Brainy didn't think it would be wise to do it at a moment like this, where Clark looked ready to flee at any sign of mishap. He didn't want to scare Clark away.

"Clark… please," begged Brainy, not able to say anything else due to moaning.

Slowly removing his fingers, Clark coated his member with the lubricant but hesitated when he positioned himself at Brainy's entrance.

"Clark?" called Brainy, concern clear in his voice.

"I, what if I hurt you?" asked Clark, softly caressing Brainy's sides as he avoided looking Brainy in the eye.

"You won't," said Brainy softly.

"You don't know that," whispered Clark. "Not for sure."

Wrapping his legs around Clark's waist, Brainy forgot his earlier fear and stretched out his neck so he could kiss Clark.

The kiss was comforting to Clark, finding in it the courage to continue. Not separating his lips from Brainy's, he firmly held onto Brainy's hips and began to slowly ease himself in.

It felt so good Clark nearly couldn't stand it. Every part of him screamed for more but he couldn't obey. He needed to hear Brainy moan, want it, before he could give in.

"I love you, Querl," Clark whispered against Brainy's lips, burying his face in the other boy's throat as he made it all the way inside.

Gasping and panting at the new sensations, Brainy clung to Clark, their torsos now aligned along with the joining of their bodies.

"I love you too, Clark," whispered Brainy before thrusting forward.

Groaning, Clark quickly kissed Brainy and began the rhythm of moving in and out of his lover, trying so hard not to completely loose control.

Leaning back on the pillows to better the angle, Brainy held onto Clark as the blinding pleasure built up inside of him. He met thrust per thrust, encouraging Clark with every gasp and moan that escaped him.

It was too good, Clark knew he couldn't last much longer. He quickened the pace, almost uncontrollably, and reached down to stroke Brainy's shaft, trying to match it with the rapidly changing rhythm. And though he couldn't see it he felt the familiar bump of a line on his lover's penis and concentrated his caressed there.

"_Clark_," cried out Brainy, back arching and vision whitening as he came.

With Brainy clenched around him, Clark came into his lover, blind pleasure coursing throughout his entire body as he yelled out Querl's name.

Panting, the lovers held onto each other, softly kissing in the after glow.

"Clark, I need to tell you something," said Brainy, failing to keep his eyes open.

"It's okay, you can tell me later, just rest now," said Clark, kissing Brainy softly as sleep overtook his lover.


	9. Chapter 9

05/23/08

For those of you who celebrate it, Happy Memorial Day weekened.

Since Unexpected Changes has broken 100 reviews and Missing Pieces is about 17 reviews away from doing the same, would anyone mind if we have the fanart contests for it at the same time? Both due dates on July 13th? Just one more rule though for the MP fanart contest: Nothing graphic enough to make me run away from my computer blushing.

I'm still embarrassed about this... NO ONE is allowed to tell Kal-El what "adora" means! That is all. -hides under rock-

Chapter 9

Clark woke up smiling, pulling his lover closer to him and kissing Brainy's forehead without opening his eyes. He bathed in this moment, this comfort, this feeling of completion and knowledge that there was nothing that could separate him from the one he loved; not distance or even time. They were a part of each other now.

Slowly opening his eyes Clark gazed down at Brainy's sleeping face, smile widening as he brushed back blond strains of hair away from his lover's closed eyes. His hand drifted down from behind the green ear to lightly trace down the neck and across the collar bone before he placed another kiss there.

"Love you."

Unaware of anything Clark had said or done, Brainy slept on.

Not thinking much of it, Clark slowly slipped out of their embrace and out of the bed careful to make as little noise as possible. He looked around, unable to figure out what had happened to his boxers and grabbed a clean pair, putting them on before leaving the room.

Since Brainy had surprised Clark with dinner the night before, Clark wanted to surprise him with breakfast. He got out the frying pan and a few eggs, since eggs were what Brainy usually ate in the morning, if anything, along with some bacon and bread. Before he started he snuck back to the bedroom to ease the door shut, hoping that it would stop the smell of cooking from waking Brainy before he was finished.

While he was cooking Clark thought of what they could do for the rest of the weekend since they couldn't leave the apartment.

In all honesty, Clark is very lucky to be invulnerable. If he wasn't he would have cut his fingers off while slicing the bread at the thoughts that came to mind.

When it almost came time to serve the food, Clark remembered that he didn't have any serving trays. For a moment he considered carrying the table into the bedroom, but realized it wasn't really breakfast in bed if there was a table on top of the bed. Plus the table wouldn't fit through the bedroom door anyway.

Remembering that the table could be pulled apart to take out the long strip of wood in the middle, which he thought was called a sleeve but wasn't sure, that made the table longer. That could be used as one big serving tray for both of them.

Pulling the table apart Clark let the possible sleeve stay where it was for the time being. He loaded it with the food and drinks and went to open the bedroom door, peeking in to see that Brainy was still asleep, before going back for his improve serving tray.

Balancing it carefully in his hands, Clark had to walk sideways to get everything into the bedroom without knocking anything over. Carefully placing it on the end of the bed, he tip toed to the bed's lone occupant and kissed the upturned cheek, running his hand down the uncovered arm and whispered against his skin, "Good morning Querl."

Not responding, Brainy continued to lay perfectly still in the position Clark had left him in earlier.

"Querl?" called Clark, concern filling him now. He shook his lover's shoulder, heart dreadfully pounding when Brainy continued to be unresponsive.

Clark's mind struggled not to panic, to try to think of what could have happened. Was Brainy sick? Did he somehow hurt Brainy last night? Was this some Coluan thing?

It hit Clark like a speeding bullet. Brainy had tried to tell him something last night and he didn't let him. What if would have explained what was happening now? What if it had been a warning of some sort or instructions of how to wake him?

_Stupid, stupid, stupid_, Clark yelled at himself, pressing his fist to his forehead as if trying to punish his mind. _Why didn't you listen?_

There wasn't many options open to Clark. He could either A) wait it out or B) take Brainy back to the future where no one was likely to know what was wrong anyway.

"Why couldn't there have been a book on Coluans?" asked Clark miserably, unable to stand the thought of waiting and hating that no one in the future that was available to him would be able help.

Having lost his appetite, Clark moved the make shift serving tray to the floor at the end of the bed before joining Brainy in it. He gently touched Brainy's face, feeling a slight relief that the green skin below his fingers was still warm, the feeling increasing as he noted Brainy's steady breathing.

"Please be alright."

Time seem to move even slower then the time the legion had to download Brainy's backup disk into the biomechanoid after Quavermas' fear factory. Clark had wanted to stay next to Brainy until he woke up but he found himself soon filled with nervous energy.

What if he was wrong to wait it out? What if he should have taken Brainy to the future for some sort of treatment the moment he realized there was something wrong?

Clark paced around the room arguing with himself. He knew the others knew next to nothing about Coluan physiology and would be of no help. The only ones that might be able to help were other Coluans and Clark never wanted to take his love to a place he obviously feared and hated. Still he argued with himself.

Hours passed and the food Clark had left on the floor began to smell and his stomach growled for something to calm his nerves.

Cleaning up the untouched meal, Clark quickly returned with an apple. Sitting next to Brainy on the bed and making sure the covers were properly on him even though Brainy had never moved in order to throw the covers off.

The apple was soon gone and more time passed. As it had been midday when Clark first woke up, it was beginning to grow dark again.

Having been ignored nearly the entire day, Clark's bladder made itself known. The kryptonian tried to ignore it longer, feeling like the moment he left something would happen, but his bladder would not be denied.

Cursing, which really wasn't cursing to anyone else, Clark rushed to the bathroom.

Ever had to make a choice about something and felt incredibly stupid afterwards for choosing what you did? That's exactly how Clark felt when he returned from the bathroom and found Brainy missing.

Not even able to properly think, Clark rushed from the room to search for him. Forgetting about how his apartment was arranged he slid on one of the small carpets his mom gave him and fell over.

"Ow…" said Clark, more out of habit since there was no actual pain.

"I would ask if you were alright but with your invulnerability that would be a useless question," said a familiar voice.

Looking up, Clark's heart began to soar before it was interrupted by what he saw and it began to pound instead.

Standing in front of him was Brainy, dressed in one of Clark's shirts and nothing else. It was even one of Clark's snap button shirts, with not all of the buttons snapped.

"Clark," said Brainy, clearing his throat, "_are_ you alright?"

Brain snapping into focus, Clark flew to his feet and pulled Brainy against him in a tight embrace.

"I was so worried about you."

"I tried to tell you that Coluans go into a deep sleep after their first time to change their chemistry, so to speak, so their scent changes to add that of their lover, but I, ah, I fell asleep," said Brainy, his voice a little sheepish at the end. He returned his lover's embrace. "I'm sorry to have worried you, but it's still night-"

"Saturday night," said Clark.

"What?" asked Brainy, pulling away from just slightly so he could see Clark's face.

"You fell asleep Friday night," said Clark, his voice very soft, "it's Saturday."

Absorbing all of this, Brainy blushed deeply and stuttered, "But that, it's never been that long before. Taking in account that most Coluan marriages are arranged- but you would think there was some sort of time frame! It-"

"Brainy, what does arranged marriages have to do with anything?" asked Clark.

"Coluans normally don't have sex until they're married so they mix scents, create a bond with their life partners. With arranged marriages, it's no surprise that the bonding time, that is, how long they sleep, is short, but it's never been longer then a normal nights sleep before. To sleep an entire day," babbled Brainy, nervously, but cut himself off when he seemed to have lost the capability to form words.

"So basically you're saying we have a very close bond," said Clark.

Still unable to talk, Brainy nodded.

"Well, we already knew that," smiled Clark, leaning in to kiss Brainy.

Raising his hand, Brainy blocked Clark's lips.

"You don't understand."

"So tell me," said Clark softly.

Sighing, Brainy fully leaned against Clark, returning his arm to rest around him.

"A Coluan bond is as much a physical part of them as their blood. It affects each Coluan differently in accordance to how deep the bond is. Of course with arranged marriages and weak bonds, most Coluans never become aware of the bond's existence, but it is not the same for those with strong bonds. They become physically dependent on the proximity of their partner. Long distances between them can actually become physically painful, to the point where it can kill both of the partners. And a partner dying is practically a death sentence to the other," explained Brainy, in a calmer voice.

"Then why don't all Coluans marry the person they first have sex with?" asked Clark, his arms unconsciously tightening around his Coluan.

"The bond could be weak enough that they can ignore it or they just changed partners by having sex with another person. Or, if they don't want to change partners and they have a strong bond with their first, there is a drug on Colu that temporarily makes a Coluan act like they're drunk mentally and physically sensitive to others. They'd unwittingly have sex with anyone who approached them. It's been known to happen when parents want to force their children into an arranged marriage with someone other then their first," explained Brainy, his voice very soft.

Taking it all in, Clark's worry grew. If their bond was so strong and distance could hurt Coluans, what would become of Brainy when they are in separate times? What if he died before Brainy? What was a Coluans lifespan compared to a Kryptonian? And what-

"I'm sorry," said Brainy, so softly that Clark almost missed it.

"What for?" asked Clark.

"I didn't mean to tie you down to me like this," whispered Brainy.

"I'm not tied down," protested Clark. "I'm happy to be bonded to you."

"You're not bonded to me," said Brainy, louder then before but now his voice was shaking. "I'm bonded to you and I can tell you're already worrying about what will happen to me when we're apart. And if this relationship doesn't work out-"

"Nothing is going to happen to our relationship," exclaimed Clark, instantly berating himself for the anger in his voice.

For a moment, Brainy was silent and perfectly still but when he continues he did it as if Clark had never spoken.

"If it doesn't work out, you'll feel obligated to stay with me because you wouldn't want me to get hurt."

"Brainy," said Clark softly, lifting Brainy's chin so their eyes would met, hating how his lover looked close to tears, "I never want you to get hurt by anything because I love you. That isn't going to change and either is the fact that I worry about you. Every time I come here I wonder if you're alright. If you're on a mission or working with things I can't pronounce in the lab and constantly scare me about your safety to the point I never want you to go again. _Our_ bond won't change that. It's just going to make those feelings stronger. I love you, Querl, and that's never going to change."

A grateful smile spread across Brainy's lips and his arms moved from around Clark's middle to wrap around his neck as he pulled him closer for a kiss. When they separated, he rested his head upon Clark's shoulder.

"On Colu, we have a term for the person we love more then anyone else. The literal meaning is 'beloved' but it is also used to refer to the one that is their other half. I love you, my Adora."

Warmth filled Clark's entire body and his heart pounded much like the first time they exchanged "I love you"s and he had asked Brainy to say it again and again because he couldn't get over the pure joy of hearing those words. He held Brainy closer and breathed him in, noticing his new scent for the first time.

Brainy still smelled like watermelon but now strawberries were dancing with it on Brainy's skin. The scent was familiar beyond the fact that it was their scents together. There was something more to it then that, like he had smelled the watermelon and strawberries together somewhere else before, but Clark's thought process didn't last long when he breathed in again and came to another realization. They were together on Brainy's skin and he was in Brainy's blood.

Love and protectiveness washed over Clark in new waves and he wished for nothing more then to shout to the world that he loved this boy.

He settled for holding Brainy closer to him, kissing his shoulder.

"What does Coluan culture say about a non-Coluan calling someone, 'Adora'?"

"It's actually viewed as an insult because Colu doesn't like monkeys imitating them," said Brainy, his amusement shown through his tone.

"That seems rather unfair," said Clark, wanting to kiss Brainy but unwilling to release his hold enough to do so. "I suppose I can keep calling you, 'honey'."

"That's not funny," said Brainy and Clark laughed.

"Then I'm just going to have to cheat Coluan culture," said Clark.

Brainy pulled away slightly to give his lover a look of disbelief.

"You, cheat?"

"I know, whatever will the history files say," said Clark, grinning in return.

"And how you plan to cheat a planet that has a high average of intelligence?" asked Brainy, not able to keep himself from smiling.

"Simple," said Clark. "I may not be able to call you; 'Adora,' but I can still call you my other."

Brainy's smile widened as a small blush crept across his cheeks.

Clark kissed them before moving to claim Brainy's lips.

This time when Clark tried to pull away Brainy pulled him back, deepening their kiss and pressing their bodies together.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Clark remembered that he was only wearing his underwear while Brainy was just wearing his shirt. One that he could rid of with one, swift pull… He couldn't stop himself from moaning.

There was no conscious thought of having sex again. Just the need to touch, to feel and taste filled them, just as much as they needed to breathe. Just as this need filled them, they had somewhere moved back to the bed as their kissing and touching continued.

It would have been quicker to rip off the shirt, but Clark found that he didn't want to. He undid it, button by button, the sound of each snap releasing its partner was his cue to dive forward with his tongue and explore the newly expose skin. When he unsnapped the last button, he came to Brainy's member.

During his research of how to make sex safe for Brainy, Clark had come across several articles on oral sex as a way of lubricating the dominate partner if none was available. They didn't need lubricant, but it was also supposed to feel good and he knew that he didn't have a gag reflex.

"Clark, what are you-" began Brainy, confused by why his lover had moved so far away from him, but he didn't get the chance to finish. His thought process completely cut off when he felt Clark's tongue run over his penis, down it and across the tip. His hips jerked, hands clutched at the sheets and a deep, load moan escaped him in the form of Clark's name.

Encouraged, Clark tried taking a bit of it into his mouth. Every sound Brainy made encouraged him further, becoming bolder with his mouth and tongue. It didn't take him long to find the line on his lover's penis that he had felt their time before. He concentrated his movements there, pressing his lips against it, flicking it with his tongue and caressing it with his fingers.

Clark was rewarded with further gasps and moans, Brainy chanting his name like a prayer and burying his fingers in his dark hair, body shaking with effort to keep himself from thrusting. He wanted to tell his lover that he didn't need to worry about restraining himself but that would have required stopping and he was enjoying the sounds Brainy was making far too much to do so.

Under his hands, Clark could almost feel the tension building up inside Brainy reaching its peak. He urged it forward, lightly scraping the line with his teeth and taking Brainy in deeper.

"_Clark_," shouted Brainy, his entire body jerking as he came.

Swallowing what he could, Clark discovered that even this part of Brainy tasted the way he smelled and with the taste he realized why it was so familiar. He smiled as he released his lover and sat up to look at him.

Still holding onto Clark's hair, Brainy laid panting, with the shirt still hanging loosely around him, struggling to regain his breath. His eyes were unfocused, looking thoroughly dazed and beautiful.

Clark's smile widened as he leaned down and kissed down Brainy's neck and across the shoulder blade, pulling back the shirt so he could he could continue his trail to the shoulder.

The kisses brought Brainy out of his daze. He pulled Clark to him, simultaneously sitting upwards, making the shirt fall backwards and kissing him full on the mouth.

As they kissed, Clark eased the shirt the rest of the way off of Brainy and absently tossed it away. He deepened the kiss, becoming aware of how unnecessary and restricting his underwear was.

Releasing Clark's face, Brainy ran his hands down his lover's chest, never separating is lips from his partner's. He ran his fingers under the band of his lover's underwear but with their currant positions he wouldn't be able to pull them off. Instead he settled for caressing Clark's hardness through the garment.

Gasping and groaning at the unexpected touch, temporarily separating their lips, Clark absently rolled his hips into his lover's hand. He claimed Brainy's lips again, moving so Brainy could pull off his underwear.

More then happily to do so, Brainy returned to caressing Clark the moment the offensive garment was gone.

Moaning into Brainy's mouth, Clark had to gather up some inkling of will power to take hold of Brainy's wrist and pull his lover's hand away from him.

"I want," began Clark, panting and pausing to kiss Brainy again, "you," he dived in again for another kiss, "inside me."

Brainy's face flushed and he gently touched Clark's face.

"Are you sure?"

Nodding, Clark kissed Brainy's wrist.

"I want to belong to you, just as much as you belong to me."

Smiling softly, Brainy quickly kissed Clark before reaching towards the night stand for the lubricant.

"You don't need to do that, you can't hurt me," said Clark.

"I know," said Brainy, opening the lubricant. "Lay down."

Doing so, Clark watched as Brainy poured lubricant onto his fingers. He had been right when he thought it wouldn't hurt him. When Brainy's fingers entered him, it just felt odd but it didn't take long for it to start feeling good.

Reaching where the pleasure spot, should be, inside of Clark, Brainy gently pressed against it with his fingers.

Clark's hips propelled upwards before his mind could even fully register what had happened. He moaned, clenched the sheets and hoped that it had felt this good for Brainy when their positions had been reversed.

Even though there was no need to stretch Clark out, Brainy continued the motion with his fingers hitting the spot routinely every other thrust of his fingers.

Pleasure was building in Clark so rapidly that thoughts were becoming increasingly hard to hold onto. He was gasping, moaning and squeezing his eyes tightly shut in an effort to hold on but he knew he couldn't last if Brainy continued like this.

"Q-Querl, ahhh, I-"

It was too late. Clark felt all of his muscles tighten and shouted out, only to have his lips covered with Brainy's. He eagerly gave everything he had into the kiss as pleasure ripped through him and he came, splattering seed onto their stomachs.

As Clark panted, Brainy slipped his fingers out of Clark's entrance and continued to kiss his lover. He started on the side of his face, his jaw, his neck, nibbling softly at the juncture between the neck and shoulder.

At first Clark thought there was no way he could continue, having been so thoroughly satisfied with Brainy's earlier ministrations but as Brainy kissed his jaw, he caught his lover's scent. He wasn't sure if their sweat had made it more potent, or if it was just the memory of what the scent meant, but by the time Brainy nibbled on him, he was moaning and wanting more. He pulled Brainy to him and kissed him, deeply before looking into his lover's eyes.

"I love you."

Brainy kissed Clark again before responding.

"I love you, my Adora."

The name further ignited Clark's desire and he ran his finger's through Brainy's hair, loving how some of it was sticking to his lover's face with sweat and how silky it still felt between his fingers. He kissed him as he rubbed their bodies together.

Moaning at the touch, Brainy shook slightly as they separated. Grabbing the lubricant again, he coated his member and slowly slid into his lover.

It instantly felt so good, Clark nearly whimpered when Brainy didn't move right away. He soon moaned when he actually felt Brainy's member _grow_ inside of him. He smiled at the realization of what the line on his lover's penis was meant for.

Brainy's penis didn't grow much more then its original size. It was just enough so it could, by his estimation, hit Clark's pleasure spot every thrust if he wanted to.

No longer able to contain himself, Brainy rolled his hips forward, shivering at the tightness and Clark's pleasured cry and Clark's hips thrusting up to meet his.

Their joined movement soon became faster, their joined pants and moans filling the room as they came closer to the edge.

He wasn't sure if it was because of the fact he came right before they started this, but Clark felt himself reaching his peak much sooner then he had thought. He tried to think of a way to hold on longer but with every touch he forgot what he was trying to do and tried harder to get more.

Leaning forward as they moved together, Brainy lightly kissed Clark's mouth before leaning further and nibbling on Clark's ear.

Clark cried out, loosing himself to the pleasure and tightening around his lover as he came.

This scent Brainy over the edge and he came soon after. He shakily pulled himself out before collapsing on top of Clark, panting as he held onto him.

When he had caught his breath, Clark pulled the covers over them before he kissed Brainy's forehead and began to stroke his back.

"You're not going to fall asleep for a day again, are you?"

"No," replied Brainy, kissing Clark's chest. "That's only after the first time."

"Good," murmured Clark, trying to kiss Brainy and talk at the same time.

"I love you, my Adora," said Brainy, softly.

"I love you, my other," whispered Clark. Something caught his eye and he looked towards the window with the curtains pulled shut. "The sun is already coming out."

"That's nice," yawned Brainy, settling against Clark and closing his eyes.

Smiling to himself, Clark closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Brainy and joined him in sleep.

--

When Clark woke up again, his smile returned when he felt Brainy still laying against him, absently tracing unknown patterns on his chest. Opening his eyes, he turned and kissed his lover.

"Good morning."

"Good afternoon," corrected Brainy, kissing Clark again.

"Afternoon? I guess we should be going back to the future, then?" asked Clark, but he made no effort to move.

"I guess," said Brainy, snuggled closer to Clark.

"We should probably shower," said Clark.

"That would be a good idea," agreed Brainy.

Feeling his cheeks heat up, Clark swallowed nervously.

"Do, do you want to shower with me?"

Stopping his absent caress, Brainy laid still a moment before looking up at Clark.

"My scent won't drive you crazy anymore but since you are my other you will still be," Brainy cleared his throat, "strongly allured to me when I'm wet."

"You don't need water for me to be strongly allured to you, Querl," pointed out Clark, loving how Brainy blushed before they kissed. The future could wait.


	10. Chapter 10

06/05/08

WHOO HOO! Third update, three days in a row! I'm on a roll! -dances-

Enjoy this reflective chapter and as always, thank you to everyone who has reviewed.

Chapter 10

Brainy wasn't sure exactly when he had noticed that Clark had began to look at him in a sexual matter.

There had been subtle changes in Clark's behavior the first time he had returned from the 21st centaury. He touched Brainy with less hesitance and more often, walked closer to him, cuddled him in bed and that first morning Clark kissed him so softly when he had thought the genius was still asleep, still half naked and wet from his shower.

All of which Brainy had assumed was due to their recent separation. All besides some initial surprise, and much blushing, he never commented on it. He enjoyed Clark's closeness, particularly with how much he had missed him during that first week apart. He, perhaps, even encouraged it by deepening their kiss that first morning of Clark's return, allowing their tongues to meet for the first time and many times after that.

The touching soon became more frequent, longer and there was a certain nervous energy about Clark that made Brainy think he felt guilty about something. He had many theories about what the reason could be. The first that came to mind was that Clark was just nervous about the change in their relationship, being the first one of it's kind the Kryptonian had since his high school sweetheart Lana Lang and Brainy's first relationship of this nature period. That didn't explain the apparent guilt though.

Unfortunately Brainy's mind soon turned to more depressing theories. What if Clark had met Lois Lane? What if Clark regretted entering this relationship now that he saw what it was like to live in separate times? What if Clark had found that, once they had some time apart, that Clark didn't really feel that way about him? What if Clark had fallen under Florence Nightingale Syndrome, like a nurse falling for their patient, during the time Clark had taken care of him due to Brainiac's memories haunting him and now that Clark no longer had to take care of Brainy the effect was wearing off?

If any of these theories were true it would explain the increase in affection and apparent guilt. Clark, feeling guilty about wanting to end the relationship, could be trying to make the relationship work anyway because he didn't want to hurt Brainy.

The possibility that any of them were true was enough to make Brainy feel panicked and nauseous. His mind spun with arguments and pleas for Clark to stay with him but his mind kept spitting out reasons why they should be apart; one of the biggest was what history dictated.

"I don't care. I don't care," Brainy had cried to no one, when he broke down in his lab, the fear that Clark would leave forever, where he wouldn't even be able to see him as a friend, became too much for him to handle. "I love him."

The break down had cost Brainy one of his experiments but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He stabilized it and went to the room he shared with the object of his heart and currant torment.

Walking into the room, Brainy slipped off his shoes and crawled into bed with his slumbering Kryptonian. He wrapped himself around Clark, burying himself in the other's warmth, wondering how much longer their time together would last.

Feeling Brainy against him, Clark stirred but remained asleep. He turned just so, so he could wrap his arms around the Coluan, mumbling his name.

His heartbeat making itself known as it pounded against his chest in pure elation, Brainy felt relief surround him along with Clark's arms. There was no way Clark could be unhappy in their relationship if he could display such a subconscious act of affection.

Soon after this, Brainy noticed Clark watching him. It wasn't as if Clark had been staring, but his eyes would instinctively turn to Brainy whenever he was doing something. After a day or two, Clark's eyes never seemed to leave him, even when he was doing nothing of importance.

Was Clark trying to analyze him? Or was it that Clark just didn't know when to approach Brainy on what had been bothering him?

Then came the day Brainy was working at the main computer in the lounge, the others near by talking to each other and occasionally trying to engage him, when Superman came into the room. When he saw the other boy, Brainy had smiled at him.

The smile had caused another change in Superman. He stopped, literally, in mid-step, one foot in the air, and stared at Brainy in a way Brainy didn't recognize. Superman's face had darkened and his face flushed, looking like he wanted to run; whether it was forward or away Brainy couldn't tell.

By this point Brainy thought he must have been at least subconsciously aware that Clark had started to look at him sexually for he didn't see how else the realization could come to him so suddenly the next day.

He had been working on the Batmobile with Bouncing Boy, as he had many times since he and Clark returned from the past, going over his recent interactions with Clark in his mind when he dropped the old fashion screw driver.

Clark saw him in a sexual way.

Telling Bouncing Boy that he would return later, Brainy had rushed from the hanger and into his lab, thankful that he hadn't encountered anyone along the way. He leaned against the door and fell to the ground in front of it, his legs no longer able to support his weight.

Clark was sexually attracted to him.

Carefully counting his breaths, Brainy couldn't bring his mind to understand it. He could barely understand why Clark found him attractive at all, why he was in love with him. He had never stopped to consider that Clark's feelings could develop further into the physical aspects of a relationship.

One part of Brainy's mind argued that physical attraction was a normal part of romantic relationships while another tried to figure out what Clark could possibly be attracted to about him.

Besides deepening their kisses Brainy couldn't think of anything he did differently to attract Clark in such a way. Was it their week apart that had made Clark develop these feelings or had they always been there and Brainy just never noticed?

Remembering Clark's darkened eyes, pupils expanding in an expression Brainy could now identify as lustful, Brainy recalled that Clark was in his late teens, fresh out of puberty at a stage boys, Kryptonian or otherwise, were the most hormonal.

Feeling like his heart couldn't take the pressure anymore, deserting him in his desperation, Brainy felt his face blush so deeply he had to bury his face in his knees to hid it from the empty room.

What was he supposed to do? He knew practically nothing about this aspect of relationships.

_Knowledge is the key to all doors._

Keeping this Coluan saying in mind, Brainy stood, a bite shakily, and walked over to his work bench to sit at his computer there.

"COMPUTO, do a private search on homosexual relationships, emphasis on sexual aspects."

"104,095,875,375,094,608,047,262,830,259 results found," responded COMPUTO after a minute of searching.

"Delete all results under the category of porn," said Brainy, glad that there was no one around to hear what he was doing and that COMPUTO couldn't care less how badly he blushed.

"10,200,654,122 results remaining," complied COMPUTO, taking longer to do this then the previous request.

Brainy went through a list of things to narrow it down until only 49,115 results were left. He stared at the screen, his hands trembling at the keyboard while his mind felt like it just returned from a roller coaster ride; he could no longer blame Saturn Girl for hating them.

Could he really do this?

"COMPUTO save and encode the remaining results," said Brainy, surprised when his own voice seemed to betray his uncertainty.

His legs having remembered how to work as he sat, supported Brainy on his walk back to the hanger where Bouncing Boy was still working.

"You okay?" asked Bouncing Boy, looking up when he heard the other's approach.

Brainy opened his mouth to respond but ended up nodding instead. He found where he had dropped the screwdriver and returned to work, trying to put it all out of his mind, if only for the time being.

"Is it not something you can talk about?" asked Bouncing Boy, not allowing Brainy that simple leisure.

Not turning to Bouncing Boy, Brainy shrugged. He knew Bouncing Boy was fine with his relationship with Clark, sometimes even encouraged it like when he told Clark to kiss Brainy for him, but when did things enter the realm of _too much information_?

"Wanna take a break and watch _Wicked Scary 10_?" asked Bouncing Boy.

"Not even remotely," said Brainy, trying not to shudder at the memory of the earlier editions of that series.

"Then talk to me," said Bouncing Boy.

Now turning to face the Legion's leader, Brainy leaned against the Batmobile and wondered what the Dark Knight would have thought of his situation.

"_He'd make an excuse for you to leave the room and have a little 'discussion' with Superman and by the time you heard his screams, it would be too late,_" Brainy could imagine Richie saying before throwing back his head and imitating a mad scientist's evil laugh complete with thrown up hands and rolls of thunder.

Even when they separated by time Brainy was still effected by Richie's strange and bluntly honest personality.

"I-I'm not sure what to do with the direction my relationship with Clark is going," admitted Brainy, wishing he could talk to Richie again, who seemed to have the power to take anything that made Brainy feel bad and turn it into a ridiculous notion.

"And what direction would that be?" asked Bouncing Boy, confused.

Despite his best efforts, Brainy's face began to boil.

"O-one of a, a more phy-physical nature."

Bouncing Boy's jaw dropped, along with the tool he had been using.

Blush increasing, Brainy looked away and tried to resist the urge to ask Saturn Girl to erase their leader's memory.

Standing, Bouncing Boy headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Brainy, hoping that maybe the could ignore the fact that this conversation happened.

"To have a talk with Superman," said Bouncing Boy in a practical growl.

Jumping up, Brainy flew to the other boy and blocked his path.

"Why in spock's name would you do that?!"

"I can't have a member of my team being pressured to do _anything_ they aren't ready for. And if you say it's not Legion business then I'm doing it as your friend," exclaimed Bouncing Boy determinately.

Brainy stared at him a moment, barely remembering to blink. He almost felt like laughing.

"Clark _isn't_ trying to pressure me."

Bouncing Boy's anger blinked away.

"He isn't?"

"It's Clark for goodness sake," said Brainy.

At this Bouncing Boy laughed almost nervously.

"Yeah, Clarky really isn't the type now that I think about it."

"Thank you for your concern though," said Brainy, managing to smile. "Not many people would be willing to confront Superman about, well, anything without fearing for their personal safety."

"Are you scared for your personal safety?" asked Bouncing Boy, angry again.

"No! Stop jumping to conclusions," snapped Brainy.

At this Bouncing Boy half heartedly laughed.

Anger fading, Brainy sighed and let his gaze fall to the floor.

"I am scared though. Not of Clark but of that stage. I know next to nothing about it and, and it's _different_ for Coluans. I'm not sure if we, if I can take that step. If something goes wrong, it will be even harder to let him go then."

"Hey," said Bouncing Boy, putting his hand on Brainy's shoulder and waiting for the other boy to look up at him before continuing. "You love the big guy, don't yea?"

"Of course I do," said Brainy.

"And we know he loves you," said Bouncing Boy with a huge grin on his face. "He practically glows whenever you smile at him. Talk to him about it, I'm sure he'll understand if you're not ready."

"And if I can't," asked Brainy softly, "_ever_?"

"If he's as good as a guy as we think he is, he'll still love you and if he doesn't, his lost," said Bouncing Boy, releasing Brainy's shoulder.

_No_, thought Brainy sadly, _it would be mine_.

"I hear he invited you to his parent's for dinner," said Bouncing Boy. He watched Brainy nod. "You should go, if only to understand more about him."

"I would like that," said Brainy softly. "Though I think I need more information on the subject before I approach Clark on that _other_ matter."

"Whatever you do, _don't_ ask Lightning Lad," said Bouncing Boy seriously.

Unable to help it, Brainy chuckled.

"Thanks Bouncing Boy."

When Clark went to the past again, Brainy took the opportunity to look at his saved research. Most it was still things he had to delete within 0.5 seconds from completed download but a lot of it was very intriguing and made Brainy feel better about not being in the dark anymore.

Soon enough Brainy began to wonder about Clark and himself in such situations as he was reading about. He blushed a lot but found he wouldn't mind seeing or feeling Clark naked. He enjoyed the feel of Clark's skin when he touched his face and those rare times Clark wore short sleeves. He couldn't imagine having more access to that softness as a bad thing. But could he reveal himself in turn?

His body wasn't even remotely normal. There were _additions_ to even his most private of parts. It was very possible seeing him naked, or feeling his abnormities would disgust Clark and scare him away.

Brainy almost didn't go to the farm for dinner, but he was glad he did. Martha and Jonathon Kent were very warm people and he learned something very important.

He wanted Clark as much as Clark wanted him.

The discovery came quite by accident. He had just woken up, feeling oddly restless, and finished getting dressed after his Martha imposed sleepover when Clark returned from his shower in only a towel.

Even with a very short glimpse Brainy found Clark's bare chest to be much more then simply pleasant to look at. His heart pounded and he felt the need to flee but Clark blocked his way and kissed him.

It felt as good as it made him nervous, unsure what to do when Clark took Brainy's hands and placed them on his bare chest. He had been right though when he thought touching Clark's bare skin would feel good and couldn't resist exploring it.

Even after Martha called into the room, thinking that she was waking them, and giving Brainy a heart attack, thoroughly embarrassed by what they had done, he wished it could have continued for just a while longer.

Clark had kissed Brainy temple and apologized.

Brainy looked up at him in surprise. Wasn't this what Clark wanted as well?

"What for?"

"For jumping you like that," said Clark in a dejected manner.

It was very hard for Brainy not to smile too broadly, touched that Clark cared enough about him to hold back.

Reaching up, Brainy pulled on Clark's shoulders and kissed him with the same fire that Clark had just moments before. When they separated, Brainy flickered his tongue over the bottom and tops of Clark's lips before pulling away and smiling at Clark's dazed expression.

"I'm not."

Brainy wasn't quite ready to talk further about it with Clark yet but he felt relieved knowing that he was capable of these emotions and that Clark seemed willing to wait as long as Brainy needed, since Clark hadn't even told Brainy about his own lustful feelings.

It was hard not to panic when Phantom Girl so much as suggested that he and Clark were lovers but Brainy tried not to let it bother him. He was going to continue his research on sex and deepen his knowledge on Clark himself for the time being.

One day Brainy wanted to belong to Clark and no one else.


	11. Chapter 11

08/16/08

Good thing I double checked this chapter before I posted it. I accidently submitted TOSoP chapter 11 as the MP 11 document... that would have been so confusing, not to mention a pain in the butt.

Let's see... I already announced the UC (Yu-Gi-Ah) and MP (FunkyFish1991) contest winners... There's a new contest that isn't due until November in which I'll be deciding the winner and all entries get drabbles. Details are in chapter three of "WDC" chapter forty of "TOSoP" or in my latest journal at deviantart.

ENJOY!

Chapter 11

Brainy had been right when he said Clark would be _strongly allured _to him in the shower. It wasn't bad like it had been the first time Clark had been exposed to Brainy's scent, making him loose all control and practically assault him.

Instead it was like Clark was a cat being introduced to catnip for the first time. He liked to breathe it in and rub against its source, licking it and pawing at it playfully. Part of him would like to think he could keep his hands to himself if he had wanted to but the dominant part of him wondered why he would ever want to?

The shower took much longer then normal with them touching much more than just to wash each other. Neither realized how much time went by or noticed it when the water went cold.

Even after they forced themselves out of the bathroom entirely, dried themselves and gotten dressed, Clark was still finding it difficult to pull away. Their combined scent was still hanging loosely around Brainy skin, now more like a relaxant then an aphrodisiac. They lay on the bed together, on top of the covers, just holding each other as afternoon drifted off into evening.

Noticing the time, Clark wondered if the others would be worried about where they were. He usually tried to back to the future by early afternoon, though there were times he wasn't able to make it until early Monday morning.

It was tempting to do that, to let the future wait and stay in the present with Brainy for as long as he could get away with, but Clark had to remember that while it was calm here the Legion could need them the moment they got there. Plus there were Brainy's regular duties and projects to consider.

Opening his eyes, Clark looked down at Brainy and smiled when he saw his lover had fallen asleep. He brushed back some of the golden hair, kissing his temple, his smile increasing when Brainy sighed and moved closer to him.

Very carefully, Clark removed Brainy's arms from around him and slipped off the bed, nearly laughing when Brainy reached for him and grabbed into his pillow, burying his face into it but frowning slightly in sleep, knowing that something wasn't quite right.

Floating around the room, so as not to make a sound, Clark gathered everything he would be taking with him, casually throwing the bag over his shoulder when he was done. Moving back to the bed, he began to ease his arms under the slumbering boy.

Stirring, Brainy blinked slowly, turning his head, and gazed up at Clark, his eyes half lidded from sleep.

"Clark?"

"It's okay, go back to sleep," Clark softly whispered, lifting Brainy, who was still absently holding the pillow, and holding him gently to his chest.

Closing his eyes, Brainy leaned against Clark and yawned.

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

It hadn't been too difficult for Clark to operate the time bubble while carrying both his stuff and a dozing Brainy. Soon enough he was stepping off the platform in Brainy's lab in the 31st century.

Walking out of the lab, Clark headed towards their shared room.

"Now I know what she means by sickeningly sweet," said an unfamiliar male voice.

Stopping, Clark turned to see who it was, surprised to just see Phantom Girl there.

"Phantom Girl?" He looked around. "Was there a guy here a moment ago?"

"Just me," grinned Phantom Girl, walking up to the couple. Her smile almost became scheme-worthy as she looked down at sleeping Brainy. "My buddy back home owes me twenty credits."

This only served to confuse Clark further.

"Excuse me?"

Looking up at Clark, Phantom Girl's eyes became solid green with black pupils. Her hair shrank back into her head, her skin a light orange, her costume green and black and soon she wasn't a 'she' anymore. Two antennas grew out of the would-be Phantom Girl's head and the new creature grinned at him.

"Chameleon Boy's the name, shape shifting's my game."

Still unable to believe what he had just seen, Clark stared, only half taking in the fact that this orange alien had a Legion flight ring and belt buckle.

"Yep," smirked Chameleon Boy, showing off the Legion ring. "Just got in yesterday. I was psyched to hear that you and Brainiac Five would be back today. Had to win my bet after all and meet you of course."

"Bet?" Clark's mind was still a little shell shocked.

"Yeah, my buddy Rolak didn't believe that you and Brainiac Five were," began Chameleon Boy, pausing to wink, "_involved_." He grinned at Clark's widened eyes and blush before continuing. "And I said you were, it turned into a bet and now I'm twenty credits richer."

"Wait," Clark raised his hand, easily able to hold Brainy with one arm, to try to give himself a moment to process this. "How did our relationship become a bet?"

The question surprised Chameleon Boy at first but then he smiled in a perfectly devious way.

"You don't know about the fan site, do you?"

"Fan site?"

It just _had_ to be something to do with websites.

"Yeah. Of course there are lots of sites for the Legion in general but you should see the ones where people argue over the hook ups," laughed Chameleon Boy.

This worried Clark.

"You're saying there's a website where people pair up people in the Legion?"

"One? There's loads of them," exclaimed Chameleon Boy, spreading his arms out as far as they could to show his point. "The popular ones are about you and Brainiac Five though. They have pictures of you two together in public and theories about how you _possibly_," _Wink_. "Got together _romantically_," Eyebrow wiggle. "And even drawings and stories and-"

"Enough," said Clark, horrified that such things existed. He looked around, wishing for someone to jump out and say 'gotcha'. "It was nice to meet you Chameleon-"

"Cham."

"Huh?"

"Call me Cham," there was a sense of excitement in Chameleon Boy's voice. "Otherwise it's too long to say in battle. Can you imagine it? 'Chameleon Boy, duck!' – _too late_ I'm fried duck. 'Chameleon Boy, we need your help with this' – _too late_something exploded."

"What exploded?" came a sleepy voice.

Clark and Cham looked down in surprise when Brainy began to fully wake up and looked up at them.

He frowned at the unfamiliar face.

"Who are you?"

"Chameleon Boy, call me Cham," grinned Cham, taking hold of Brainy's hand and shaking it. "Just joined yesterday while you and Supes were at your love nest of the past."

As Clark blushed again, Brainy narrowed his eyes at the new Legionnaire and pulled his hand back. And since he was now awake, Clark set Brainy to his feet.

"What we do is none of your business, Chameleon Boy," began Brainy.

"Cham," said person corrected.

Brainy ignored him. He turned to Clark.

"I should probably go check on my experiments."

"What no cuddling?" Cham batted his eyelashes.

Brainy shot a glare at the Durlan, turning to leave but, realizing he was still holding the pillow, turned back to give Clark a questioning look.

"Explain later," said Clark, kissing Brainy's cheek and taking the pillow.

Forgetting all about Cham, Brainy beamed up at Clark.

"And me without my camera," Cham sighed.

Anger returning, Brainy swung around and left back for his lab.

When Brainy was gone, Superman crossed his arms, still looking menacing even with a pillow in his arms as he towered over Cham.

"Don't pick on my Other."

"Huh, isn't it a little early in the game to call your boyfriend that?" asked Cham, nervously scratching his antenna.

"No," Superman stated before turning to leave Cham alone in the hallway.

"Don't be mad," Cham dove to the ground and held onto Superman's leg, not seeming to care that the Kryptonian could easily drag him along as he walked. "I was just teasing, I meant nothing by it. Come on, give me a chance! Don't make me use The Face!"

Superman made the mistake of turning around to ask what Cham was talking about only to fall victim to _The Face_.

Cham had shrunken down into a small orange kitten with giant watery green eyes, peering up at him for forgiveness.

It kinda reminded Superman of his cat Streaky when he was a kitten and he found himself forgetting why he was mad.

The kitten grew back into Cham, who wiggled his eyebrows.

"Want to see something really cute?"

Not waiting for an answer, Cham's skin turned green, his clothes purple, eyes magenta and he grew blonde hair.

Before Superman knew it he was looking at Cham as Brainy, and he was confused for a moment. He already knew that Brainy was cute.

Then Cham, with Brainy's face, made his eyes a little wider as they watered, puckered out his lower lip and… pouted, fluttering his eyelashes.

Superman's mind went completely blank as he stared.

Returning to normal, Cham smirked.

"I bet if Brainy did that he'd have you wrapped around his little finger."

Not answering, Superman turned and ran.

Brainy had just finished checking on one of his experiments when he was turned around and attacked with kisses by his Adora.

--

"Brainy?" Superman called, sitting on Brainy's chair as he watched his Other work on numerous things.

"Hmm?" Brainy made a few notes before turning to him.

For a moment Superman hesitated, a blush spreading to his cheek.

"Umm, why- er- how did you know that we would need the lubricant?"

Watching Superman's blush worsen, Brainy felt his own face heating up.

"I didn't."

"Then why was it in my nightstand?" Superman asked, confused.

Putting down his notes, Brainy walked over to sit next to Superman. Superman pulled Brainy closer to him to sit on his lap instead. Wrapping his arms around Superman's neck, Brainy leaned fully against him.

"You obviously remember when we first talked about sex."

Moving his arms to rest around Brainy's waist, Superman nodded.

"When I first said I wanted to belong to you, you said you weren't ready," Brainy further reminded him.

Again Superman nodded, absently caressing Brainy's side with his thumbs.

"It seemed to me like you were just saying that because you thought I was just saying I wanted to belong to you because of your sexual feelings towards me," Brainy commented, looking up at the other boy.

Surprised, Superman returned Brainy's gaze and, after staring at him a few moments, smiled nervously.

"What gave me away?"

"It's just in your nature to deny something you want for the good of someone else," said Brainy, pausing to kiss his cheek. "I left the lubricant there thinking that you would find it later to show you that I was serious and give you time to think about it." He kissed Superman on the mouth and smiled at him. "I'm not at all disappointed about having miscalculated."

Remembering how the Brainiac Five he had first met would have argued that a 12th level intelligence was never wrong, Superman chuckled and pulled Brainy in for another, deeper kiss.

After about an hour of distracting Brainy, Superman let his genius get back to work. He went to the lounge and caught up on their time apart with the other Legionnaires until dinner, during which time he brought food to the lab and ate with Brainy since it had been a while since the Coluan had eaten anything.

Instead of trying to keep Brainy to himself again, Superman let Brainy get back to work when they were done eating and went back to hang out with the others. It wasn't until it was almost time to go to bed that he thought of something;

What would sleeping together be like after _sleeping_ _together_?

Was he still expected to wear pajamas? How would he know when a kiss was just a kiss good night or a kiss to lead to something more? Was it proper for him to initiate something more intimate or would Brainy frown upon it? If they were to have sex again did they even have any lubricant at headquarters?

Would someone walking by be able to hear them if they-

Superman rubbed his temples, feeling like an idiot for still over thinking everything after being with Brainy.

It wasn't like they were going to become different people, right?

Still feeling a little antsy Superman went back to the room he shared with Brainy and held his pillow against his chest, breathing in Brainy's scent, it calming him better then any other possible aromatherapy.

Deciding it was best just to take things head on as they came along, Superman put his pillow to the side and started to get undressed to change into his pajamas.

Just as Superman finished taking off his shirt and started to takeoff his pants, Brainy walked in as he read an information pad.

Freezing in mid-movement, Clark watched Brainy walk around as he read, not seeming to notice him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Brainy noticed something on the floor. He glanced at it, Superman's shirt, and looked up.

Clark absently found it cute that Brainy could still blush so easily.

"Ah, sorry," stammered Brainy, quickly looking away.

Walking forward, Clark tilted Brainy's face to him, gently kissed his mouth and smiled at him.

"It's fine." He chuckled nervously. "It's not like you haven't seen me naked before."

This only served to make Brainy blush worse.

"Not that I'm naked! Just half naked- I mean, er, I'm not helping am I?" Clark said as he scratched the side of his face.

Stepping back, Brainy turned the buckle on his belt, and took off his shirt; still blushing and not quite meeting Clark's gaze.

"I- now that we've _been together_; it shouldn't be a big deal to change in front of each other, right?"

"We- we all get used to things at different rates, Brainy. If you want, I can put my pajama shirt on," Clark blushed, only then realizing that he hadn't even gotten out a pair of PJs to wear yet.

Pausing to think about it, Brainy shook his head. Dropping his shirt he walked up to Clark, softly grazing his hands over Clark's chest before resting them on his shoulders.

"Would it be okay if we slept like this?"

Heat rose to Clark's face but he nodded.

They finished changing into their pajama bottoms, both trying not to stare at the other and crawled into bed.

Taking Brainy into his arms, Clark kissed Brainy's forehead before claiming his mouth for a short, sweet kiss.

"Sweet dreams, my Other."

"You as well, Adora."

Long after Clark had fallen asleep Brainy laid awake, thinking. At first he thought he was just trying to get used to the feeling of Clark's skin against his own but after reasoning with himself that he had nothing to be embarrassed about something kept plaguing him in the back of his mind.

What was he forgetting?


	12. Chapter 12

10/31/08

Happy Halloween my creatures of the night! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! -dances to the monster mash-

Hello faithful readers. Long time no update. I swear school has been trying to make me have a mental crisis so I screw up and don't graduate. A teacher I had for two of my classes is even going to be out for the rest of the semester, with some sort of 'non-fatal' illness, so I'm getting two new teachers that don't know what they're doing and I have problems tolerating.

_But_ I _should_ be graduating on December 13th. It's my light at the end of the tunnel... No idea what I'm going to do afterwards though. D:

Anywho, just a reminder that the fanart contest for the white jacket ends the last day of November. Here's the rules again:

I choose the winner this time. The person I choose will get a oneshot and everyone who gives me a submission will get a guaranteed drabble.

There has to be an element from each of my LOSH stories in the picture. Like Fuzzy from UC, the Brainy plushie from MP, backpack from BG, etc... It would probably be hard to pick an element from Sunlight Naptime, When or When Doves Cry so those don't have to be included if your don't want them to be but I'd be impressed if you found something to add from them.

Characters that have to be in the picture are Brainy and a version of Clark/Superman/Kal-El. If you want there can be multiple versions of them like Brainy being fought over by Superman and Kal-El while little Brainy/Smarty watches while sitting on older Superman's lap.

There can be as many or as little characters as you want in it other then Brainy and Clark/Kal-El.

Extra points will be given to those who add Static/Virgil, Gear/Richie, Batman, or Invisible Kid (styled in the fashion of the famous kiss era from the comics). But like I said, adding more characters is not required.

Enjoy the new chaper. :D

Chapter 12

Sitting in the lab, Brainiac Five was working on yet another part for that damned cruiser that really ought to just be shot out of its misery when he got the feeling that someone was watching him. He acted like he was ignoring it, ran his fingers through his buzz cut hair in mock frustration and entered some data into his computer.

It didn't take long for Brainiac Five to bring up an image on a screen of a human looking teenaged boy, around the same age as Lightning Lad or Cosmic Boy, sitting at some desk with his head in his hands, staring at the screen as if it was the most interesting thing possible. He obviously hadn't noticed that Brainiac Five hacked into his signal and was watching him back now.

Pretending to give his full attention to his work, Brainiac Five took this time to observe the older boy out of the corner of his eye. He was slightly tanned, with short brown hair that went to his ears, matching brown eyes and was, surprisingly, wearing a lab coat. He also made entertaining expressions when the Coluan did something with the cruiser part that the other boy found impressive – it was almost like he was trying with all his might not to comment or cheer.

At one point it looked like he had been tempted to whistle.

When the part was finished, Brainiac Five finished, he put it aside and wiped his hands clean with a towel. He didn't even bother looking at the screen.

"And who might you be?"

Surprised the boy lifted his head from his hands and tried to look around Brainiac Five to see if there was anyone behind him.

"I'm talking to you, Boy on Screen," Brainiac Five rolled his eyes and looked directly at him.

Eyes widening, the boy fell out of his chair but quickly scrambled back up.

"I-I'm Lyle Norg!"

"And why are you spying on me Lyle Norg?" Brainiac Five asked, though what he really wanted to know was _how_.

"I'm a scientist," Lyle said quickly, pulling on the collar of his lab coat as if that was proof enough of his claim. "And I was curious about you. Are you _really_ a 12th level?"

Having his honesty questioned by a spy didn't sit well with Brainiac Five. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms and raised a hairless brow at the brunet.

"If I was _lying_ about my abilities don't you think Saturn Girl, the _mind reader_, would have realized that and I wouldn't have been accepted into the Legion?"

An embarrassed flush crossed Lyle's cheeks.

"I hadn't meant to say that you were lying. I just thought that the rumors may have gotten carried away with themselves. But, wow: a twelfth level intelligence. You must be so smug– I mean pleased."

The grin on Lyle's face showed that he really meant what he had said the first time but Brainiac Five chose to ignore it.

"If you're done bothering me, I have other work to do and I don't need a monkey watching me."

"Why? Because you're worried about me imitating you?" Lyle asked, evidently going from the old saying 'monkey see, monkey do'.

"If you had the intelligence for that I wouldn't have let you watch me for as long as I did. I just have no desire to be associated with you," Brainiac Five said before turning off Lyle's spy signal and putting up a firewall to block future transmissions.

--

Brainy woke up feeling cold and strangely empty. He curled into himself on the empty bed and closed his eyes.

He stopped having dreams about his time with Lyle ages ago: why would they start up again now?

There was movement in the room behind him and Brainy felt the covers being pulled and tucked more securely around him.

Reopening his eyes, Brainy gazed up at Clark, who was still just in his pajama bottoms and smiling down at him.

"Hey," Clark whispered, bending down to kiss Brainy's forehead. "Good morning."

Allowing this warmth to wash over him, Brainy couldn't help but feel guilty over his dream. He loved Clark so much; why was he dreaming about Lyle?

--

Lyle managed to hack his way into Brainiac Five's lab again, and again and again and refused to tell the Coluan how he had done it.

"If I told you, you'd stop tolerating my presence," Lyle commented absently while munching on a sandwich and typing something on another computer on his end. "What little you tolerate me, anyway."

Brainy came to almost expect Lyle's presence when he came to his lab, even though all he would see of the other boy was his upper torso. He stopped trying to put up firewalls to keep Lyle out and had been surprised when Lyle came to talk to him one day with his screen black.

"You still have bed head or something?" Brainy questioned, and smirked even though he knew Lyle could probably still see him.

The responding laugh sounded strange.

"Oh no, nothing like that. There's just a few bugs in my systems today, but I didn't want you to worry."

Though Brainiac Five wanted to roll his eyes and say that he wouldn't worry over him there was definitely something that told him that there was something wrong other than what Lyle was telling him. He continued his conversation with Lyle but instead of working on his intended project he hacked into his Lyle's signal.

He wasn't surprised to find that the visual was intentionally being blocked and that it was easily remedied.

Turning back to the screen, now able to see Lyle absently work on something that looking like it would be a microscope once he was finished, Brainiac Five's eyes unwittingly widened.

"What happened to you?"

Looking up, Lyle paled when he saw that Brainy was looking straight at him. He dropped his tools, shattering his project and covered his black eye with his non bandaged hand, hiding it behind him.

"I fell."

"Lyle, you're smarter then that."

Whether Brainiac Five meant Lyle was smart enough not to fall or not to use such a lie, neither genius really knew.

Slowly lowering his hand, Lyle brought back his bandaged one to rest on his desk.

"My Dad gets angry sometimes. That's all."

At the time Brainiac Five just nodded, making a mental note to look up information on Mr. Norg once Lyle left for the day.

--

Putting down his current project, Brainy rubbed his eyes, trying to banish these memories from his mind. Still, he remembered looking up Mr. Norg, finding out he was a Science Police officer of good standing and, to the rest of the world, a good husband and father to his child prodigy son, who excelled in xenochemistry.

If Mr. Norg got angry 'sometimes' he knew there had to be a way to prove it. He had hacked into the Norg house's computers, television and communication system to try to get some evidence but that's when he found out that Lyle practically lived at the labs at the Science Police station.

--

"Brainy," Lyle called, extending his syllables so he sounded like a child trying to get his mother's attention. "Brainy. Brainy, Brainy, Brainy, Brainy-"

"I _told you_, I _won't_ be responding to that idiotic nickname of yours!" shouted Brainiac Five, very tempted to send Lyle a small electric shock through their connection.

"Whatever Brainy," Lyle grinned, "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

At this Brainiac Five rolled his eyes.

"You always ask anyway even when I _do_ mind, so ask away."

"What kind of name _is_ 'Brainiac Five' anyway? Don't you know who Brainiac _was_?" Lyle questioned lightly.

There was silence and when Brainiac Five looked at the monitor again Lyle shivered.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

Brainiac Five turned the connection off and fire walled it against Lyle.

--

Brainy looked at the old monitor he used to talk to Lyle on. He hadn't used it for anything else since those days, not even when Lyle had joined the Legion, which was the first time he talked to Lyle again after he had asked about his codename.

After that had happened he had been so angry at Lyle; for bringing up his awful connection to Brainiac so naïvely. Every time it seemed like his anger had vanished he'd think of another reason to be angry and continued to block all of Lyle's attempt to hack back into the lab.

Then he had to leave his lab for a mission with the others, and when he came back Lyle had managed to find a way back in and he nearly just turned the screen off but, in reflection, he was thankful he had caught the developing bruise on Lyle's cheek and the near desperation on his face.

That was the day Lyle had finished the invisibility serum and injected it into himself to hide it from his father. He had called Brainy to let him know that he was running away and probably wouldn't be able to talk to him again.

Even though he had still been angry at the time Brainy thought such a possibility was unacceptable. He told Lyle to meet him somewhere and went to pick him up; but since those were the days before flight rings he had run through the city, past the point where he thought he might pass out, nearly falling over when he had reached him.

Lyle had left his home with nothing but the clothes on his back and a duffle bag filled with some notes, a little money and basic supplies to last him on the street.

"For some sort of human genius, you're an idiot. You're coming with me," Brainy had told him and Lyle had followed him, almost like a lost puppy.

It hadn't taken much to convince Cosmic Boy to let Lyle join the Legion – his argument consisted of calling Cosmic Boy different versions of 'stupid' fifteen times before the leader had given in. And even though Brainy had brought Lyle there, he was still angry at him.

The anger turned into a rivalry as Lyle began to contribute to the Legion. Admittedly it was mostly on his part since Lyle wasn't trying to compete with him but soon enough they began to argue constantly. They disagreed and Brainy was still angry at him while Lyle was tired of Brainy being angry for no apparent reason.

After they were forced to stop their rivalry they really did become friends. Even so, Lyle probably never knew how much he came to mean to Brainy.

Pulling at his own hair, Brainy felt like screaming. Why couldn't he stop thinking about Lyle? Why was he haunting him?

With that thought Brainy was hit with the proverbial ton of bricks. He scanned his mind for a calendar and suddenly felt nauseous.

--

Superman turned, eyes widening when he saw Phantom Girl with a cigar in her mouth and holding one out to him.

"Relax boy scout, it's chocolate," Phantom Girl said, taking the 'cigar' out of her mouth just long enough to bite the other end.

Taking the offered chocolate cigar, Superman saw that it said 'Congratulations' on its side in frosting.

"What are we celebrating?"

Looking triumphant, Phantom Girl returned to pretending she was smoking.

"After breakfast today Timber Wolf commented that Brainy smelled different."

Feeling like his jaw had unhinged itself, Superman stared at her and nearly dropped the chocolate cigar. He tried to speak but no words came out and he knew he was probably doing a very good impression of a fish.

Her smirk increasing, Phantom Girl made a movement as if getting rid of a few ashes from her cigar.

"I wasn't sure if that's what it meant, but thank you for confirming it."

"Phantom Girl, this isn't funny!" Superman exclaimed, looking desperately around them for someone listening in.

"Relax Superman, I'm not going to broadcast it to everyone," Phantom Girl smiled. "I just had to satisfy my own curiosity."

Still feeling like someone had thrown him in a horror movie Superman waited for the really high pitched girly scream to come out of nowhere.

"Oh look, here's your _lover boy _now," Phantom Girl giggled, waving to someone behind Superman. "Hi Brainy."

Swinging around Superman saw that Brainy was indeed approaching them but instead of his usual joy at seeing him, he felt his heart sink; Brainy's entire body just seemed to sag as if there was a giant weight on him, and he wasn't meeting his gaze.

"Brainy?"

Not answering, Brainy walked himself into Superman's arms and held onto him with a resigned sort of firmness.

Wrapping his arms around Brainy in return, Superman tried to get the Coluan to look at him.

"Brainy, what's wrong?"

"I-I need to be alone today. I just wanted you to know that I won't be coming to any meals or to bed tonight and please don't come to see me," Brainy's voice was very soft and muffled against Superman's chest.

This only served to worry Superman further.

Pulling back, Brainy gave Superman a weak smile.

"I-I'm alright. I just need to spend today remembering. Tomorrow, I promise I'll tell you everything tomorrow."

Superman cupped the side of Brainy's face, trying to retrain his need for answers to give Brainy the time he needed.

"Alright, tomorrow then."

Pulling Superman down and moving himself upwards, Brainy kissed Superman briefly before leaving him to be alone.

All Superman could do was stand there and watch.

"Poor Brainy," said Phantom Girl, reminding Superman of her presence. "He must have remembered that tomorrow is the day that Lyle left."

--

Brainy stood in front of the door to Lyle's lab for a long time. He stared at it, trying to will it out of existence but when it didn't work he entered the keyword and slowly crept inside.

The lab was clean – Brainy had made several machines to make sure of that, and everything was in the same place as Lyle had left it.

After Lyle didn't return Brainy put nearly everything that reminded him of the other scientist into this room. Pictures, joint projects and the first gift he had ever received; 'The Complete Collection of Sherlock Homes'.

Lyle had given Brainy the electronic book for Christmas, commenting that he and Sherlock had a lot in common; mostly that he made other people feel like idiots. It had struck Brainy's curiosity but he never found the time to read it and, after Lyle's disappearance, he hid it away.

Picking up the book, Brainy walked over to the couch Lyle had managed to get for his lab on the excuse that he was going to end up sleeping there a lot anyway and a couch was better than the floor.

Again he hesitated.

Reaching out, he touched the top of the couch and trailed his hand down to reside on the armrest.

How many times had he sat on this couch with Lyle, planning their form of an attack on a new invention, making strategies for missions, Brainy trying to talk Lyle out of pulling another stupid prank? How many times had he ended up falling asleep here only to wake up later with Lyle creeping around quietly so not to wake him or trying to lie down next to him to sleep as well?

Laying down on the couch, Brainy held the book to his chest and could almost imagine that he could smell Lyle there on the soft brown fabric.


	13. Chapter 13

01/07/09

First Chapter of the new year! -dances-

Man, even though I'm done with classes I feel so busy. Trying to write (fanfiction and my own book), paint, organize my school stuff (have barely made a dent) and so much other stuff I feel like someone s going to jump out and say "Gotcha" about my graduating. -looks around in paranoid manner-

For the Jacket contest I decided the winner is Darkj3. You can see the entries on my profile if you wish.

This chapter is dedicated to Poxmaker for her fanfiction for TOSoP called "Her Own Happily Ever After", Juh-Z for UC and TWE fanart, Darkj3 for UC, Tied-Tyed-Trickster for TWE fanart and Yu-Gi-Ah for her Christmas pic. -Hugs them all- It has been a while since I thanked people for their fanart in a chapter so if I missed you I apologize and just let me know and I'll correct it right away.

What am I forgetting? ... Oh yeah! -EVIL LAUGH- ... Enjoy!

Chapter 13

Brainy woke up with the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Lifting himself up, he felt something drift off of him; a blue blanket. He knew there was a blue blanket in the room, it having been brought in by Lyle for when he wanted to sleep in his lab, but he hadn't recalled seeing it on the couch when he came in so there was no way he could have just pulled it onto himself when he had started to feel tired.

That meant that someone had to have come into the lab and placed it on him, but who? The lab door should have locked itself behind him.

It was possible that Phantom Girl simply phased through the door to check on him, but she had been there when he had told Superman he wanted to be left alone.

Then again, when had Phantom Girl ever listened to such things?

Becoming more awake, Brainy noticed that the Sherlock Holmes book was missing. First he checked the couch around him, then the floor, before looking around and spotting it back on the counter he had picked it up from.

It seemed strange that if it had been Phantom Girl who had come in to cover him up, that she would put the book away.

Standing, Brainy lifted the blanket with him and paused – the feeling of something being off still plaguing him. He tried to shake it off, folded the blanket before putting it back on the couch, and headed to the door; it was unlocked.

Looking back around the room, Brainy tried to find some sort of sign of who had been in there but could see none. Was it possible he only _thought_ he had locked the door behind him or that he just hadn't remembered seeing the blanket on the couch and had simply pulled it onto himself?

It didn't seem plausible: he wasn't absentminded or anything of the sort.

Though curiosity still buzzed around his mind, Brainy pushed it aside for the time being. He had promised he would tell Clark everything today and he would. With that in mind he left Lyle's lab and headed towards his and Clark's shared room – only to run into him in the hallway.

He tried to smile.

"Good morning Clark."

"Morning Brainy," Superman said, fidgeting slightly. He probably would have been wringing his cape if he hadn't been holding something behind his back.

Curious, Brainy tried to peek around to see, somewhat surprised when Superman backed away so he couldn't.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just," Superman lightly kicked the floor as if trying to get rid of some invisible stone. "I got you something… for our anniversary."

Brainy opened his mouth to say something but Superman cut him off.

"-But it's completely stupid. I mean, you're not a girl, I don't know why I thought it was a good idea. I-I'll return it and get something else. I'll do better this time and-"

"Clark," Brainy stepped forward and kissed his cheek. "I'm sure I'd love anything you picked out."

Blushing, Superman wordlessly offered Brainy what he had been hiding.

Staying close to him, Brainy looked down at the clumsily wrapped package and smiled. Opening it, he saw two necklaces-

"They-they were a set. I figured you'd like the Batman insignia one because he's kind of your ancestor and then, then there's mine too…" Superman _was_ wringing his cape now but dropped it when Brainy pulled him down for a kiss.

"I love them, thank you," Brainy said against his lips.

"R-really?" Superman slowly smiled.

Brainy kissed him again.

"Really."

Separating the Superman necklace from Batman's, Brainy undid the clasp for the Superman necklace and tried to put it on himself.

"Let me," Superman said softly, taking the ends of the necklace.

Brainy lifted the back of his hair. After a few tries, Superman got the loop back into the clasp and gently settled the necklace against Brainy's skin. The necklace rested in just the right way so that it looked like the Superman shield was hanging from the collar of Brainy's shirt instead of a chain.

Turning, Brainy moved to kiss Superman again.

A flash stopped him.

Looking down the hall, they spotted Cham snickering with Phantom Girl, who had just taken a picture.

"The Superman/Brainy site is going to love this!" Phantom Girl grinned.

"Phantom Girl! Give me that camera!" Superman yelled, walking towards her.

"Never!" Phantom Girl flew off.

Superman went after her.

"Fly, Phantom Girl, fly! Fly, like you've never flown before," Cham cheered after them, waving his arms around as if he had pom-poms in them.

"What is wrong with you?" Brainy asked, walking up to glare at the newest Legionnaire.

"I'm easily entertained?" Cham turned to Brainy with utter seriousness.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Brainy walked in the direction Phantom Girl and Superman flew off in.

"How about I'm weak to resisting temptation?" Cham followed him.

Brainy walked faster.

--

When Brainy, stalked by Cham, finally caught up with Superman and Phantom Girl they were in the kitchen with the others who were trying to have breakfast.

"Where did you hide that camera?" Superman chased after her.

"I'll never tell!" Phantom Girl giggled; going intangible whenever he came close to catching her.

"That's enough you two! Sit down and have breakfast or leave," Saturn Girl pointed sternly to the empty chairs.

Phantom Girl immediately did as she was told.

"Yes, Mom."

Rolling her eyes, Saturn Girl ignored her. Keeping his eye on Phantom Girl, Superman went over to a pair of empty seats before turning and smiling at Brainy.

"I call dibs," Cham exclaimed, jumping into the empty chair next to Superman. He took one look at Superman and jumped back out. "Kidding!" He quickly went over to sit next to Phantom Girl instead.

Sitting next to Superman, Brainy wondered where he could possibly begin in his explanation about Lyle.

Later, as everyone was cleaning up after breakfast Brainy got that feeling that something was off again but this time he recognized it.

But it couldn't be….

Turning, Brainy looked to where the feeling was strongest.

"…Lyle?"

The rest of the group turned in confusion, some in worry, to where Brainy was staring.

Becoming visible, Lyle grinned at the Coluan. He was just between Brainy and Superman in height, skinny but well toned. He had short light brown hair with bangs that nearly covered his black headband, and brown eyes. His suit covered nearly his entire body except for his head, and was all black except for a big white, lower case 'i' that spanned from his chest down to his stomach. There were no visible lines that showed boots or gloves and it even went up to wrap around his neck. He had a belt that looked similar to Brainy's except it was grey, and the side packs weren't to power a force field but were just pockets.

Out of curiosity, Superman x-rayed them; one was filled with tools and parts while the other… he couldn't see into.

"Nearly a year away and you can _still_ tell when I'm in the room. How _do_ you do it? I must-" Lyle began.

Running forward, Brainy nearly knocked Lyle over in his desperation to hug him, to see if he was real, to feel his heartbeat and know that he wasn't dreaming.

Superman felt like he had just fallen into a nightmare.


	14. Chapter 14

2/06/09

I keep wanting to type '08' for the year... Hope I break that habit before 2010 rolls around...

As always I'd like to thank my Beta Reader FunkyFish1991 and apologize to her for taking so long with this chapter even though she drew a picture for it _ages_ ago. I hope to be able to post the link on my profile soon.

This chapter is dedicated to AnnoCat()/CherryBlossoms24(DA) for drawing me two really cute pictures: one for The Wishing Egg and one for Broken Gears -both on my profile now if you would like to see.

Let's see... In other news I have decided I am no longer going to paint on the jacket. With the way it's sown together and the material it would just make it look horrible! Instead I got a nice, smooth, white long sleeve shirt I will do it on instead... I wonder how long it will take for me to gather enough courange to start it?

In the once a year sort of news; it's my birthday next month: Exactly a month and a day from now. Can you believe I'm a college graduate and I'm going to be 23? It must be odd for the people who look at me and still think I'm twelve. -laughs at them- If people are interested, I would love to get some pictures of my stories or of Superman/Brainy like last year. As always you will get a chapter dedication for your hard work.

As always, ENJOY and I love hearing your thoughts and questions!

Chapter 14

Lyle's eyes widened considerably when Brainy came up and practically tackled him. He gazed down at the blond hair, as if unsure if he was really there, but then a smile cracked his lips and he chuckled before returning Brainy's embrace.

"I hope this hugging thing becomes a habit with you."

Almost as if the sound of Lyle's voice clicked something in his mind, Brainy pushed Lyle away and punched his shoulder.

"Where the sprock have you been?! Why didn't you contact us? We thought you were _dead_!"

Rubbing his arm and backing up in defense, Lyle only chuckled again.

"I can certainly live without the yelling, hitting and thinking I'm dead part though."

"This isn't funny! Where the hell were you?" demanded Brainy, looking ready either to strangle Lyle or start crying. It really was impossible to tell which.

"I was on Colu-" began Lyle.

This tipped the scales and Brainy reached for Lyle's neck. Lyle immediately turned invisible and moved out of Brainy's reach so silently that not even Superman's superior hearing could detect his footsteps. Not one to be deterred however, Brainy continued to punch and kick at the air around him.

"Did you fall on your head as an infant? What could possibly possess you to go there? _There_ of all places?!"

An attempted punch was suddenly pulled back, along with Brainy's other hand, and Lyle reappeared behind him, holding both of his wrists.

"I had my reasons, which I'll be happy to explain lat-"

Growling, Brainy backwards headbutted Lyle's neck. Lyle released Brainy and held onto his throat, gasping.

"My, you _have_ become violent in my absence."

Swinging on him, Brainy looked ready to punch him across the face.

"Nice necklace," Lye said quickly.

Brainy paused, blinked in surprise but then frowned at him.

"Don't try to change the subject."

"No, really, it's very nice. Where'd you get it?" Lyle was smiling but his eyes gave away the fact that he was ready to run for his life.

"It was a gift from-" began Brainy.

"Gift? _Gift_!" Lyle smacked his own forehead. "I'm such an absentminded non-professor."

He ran over to the doors and picked up a bag he must have put down when no one was looking. After digging through it for a few minutes he pulled out a clear cube and ran back over, holding it out to Brainy.

From up close, it looked like the cube was giving off some sort of light.

Lyle grinned at the Coluan. "Happy belated birthday!"

For a moment Brainy just stared at him.

"Lyle, I don't know when my birthday is."

"I do," Lyle cheered. "When I was on Colu I hacked their computers. On the Earth calendar you were born on May 11th. It's the 15th so that's why I said 'belated'. I _had_ wanted to be back in time to give this to you on your birthday but I didn't leave Colu in time and then don't get me started on the traffic."

Brainy still stared at him.

Taking Brainy's hand, Lyle placed the cube in it.

Though he stared a moment longer, curiosity got the better of him and Brainy looked down at the cube.

"What is it?"

"Well, remember how you were disappointed that you couldn't come study the healing star with me? This is a stunning recreation in a convenient carrying case," Lyle threw out his arms as if to say '_ta da_'.

"You made him a star?" Triplicate Girl asked; her voice soft with awe.

Turning, Lyle seemed to notice the rest of the Legion for the first time. He smiled and waved to them absently.

"A synthetic star. A real one would have been much too big."

Superman looked at the necklace that Brainy was wearing, illuminated by the tiny star's light, and suddenly felt incredibly stupid.

Looking past him, Lyle turned back to Brainy.

"It's not as powerful as the real healing star but it can heal minor injuries. I thought you'd like to study it."

Still examining it, Brainy nodded.

"You like it?" Lyle smiled, bending slightly so he could see his face.

"It's amazing," Brainy was clearly overwhelmed as he looked up at Lyle, unaware of how it stabbed Superman's heart.

This made Lyle smile wider.

"Good because it isn't just for your birthday. I originally made it for an extra special reason."

"What would that be?" Brainy questioned curiously.

"I'll tell you later when I explain why I went to Colu," Lyle promised. "Right now I think everyone believes they're looking at a ghost and, quite frankly, I don't like it."

Bouncing Boy immediately bounded over, throwing an arm around Lyle's shoulder and giving him a noogie.

"What do you expect? You were out of contact for a year, yah ass! What did you expect us to think?"

"Sorry! Uncle, uncle!" Lyle laughed, pushing Bouncing Boy off of him. "I swear I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I just couldn't call anyone once I got to Colu."

"You were on Colu the entire time you were missing?" Saturn Girl approached, looking at Lyle wearily.

"Aw, don't give me that look Momma Saturn Girl, I hadn't meant to stay that long," Lyle pouted at her like a child being scolded, making Phantom Girl giggle. "They wouldn't let me leave until I passed all their tests."

"What did they test you for?" asked Lightning Lad.

Lyle laughed. "They wanted to make sure I was smart enough to be associated with Brainy. They _really_ didn't like it that I call you that either – called it degrading."

"I don't see why they care," muttered Brainy.

At this Lyle's expression became serious.

"Hey, I know they weren't the greatest when raising you but they still care about you. You're Colu's pride and joy after all."

Saying something along the line of them having a 'funny way of showing it', Brainy absently fiddled with the crest hanging around his neck.

Superman, spotting this, walked over and placed his hand on Brainy's shoulder, gently squeezing it.

Looking up at him, Brainy managed a soft smile.

"Hey, who's the new guy?" asked Lyle, stepping forward and extending his hand. "I was told we couldn't use the names or costumes of old heroes. If I known they were pulling my leg I would have called dibs on Batman."

On instinct Superman reached out and shook Lyle's hand, finding it was strangely neither warm nor cold. It was almost like shaking hands with a doll.

"_I'm_ the new guy," Cham protested, leaping forward. "Superman has been in the Legion for ages. And he's the real deal baby! Comes back in forth in time and everything!"

Lyle stared at Cham a moment before looking back at Superman with wide eyes, still holding onto his hand.

"He's joking, you can't be…" His eyes flew back to Brainy, staring at the crest on his necklace before dropping Superman's hand as if it were poisoned.

"Lyle what's-" began Phantom Girl but she didn't get the chance to finish.

Grabbing hold of Brainy, Lyle held the Coluan tightly against him in an embrace. It only took Superman a moment to realize that Lyle was actually smelling Brainy.

Lyle looked horrified as he released him.

"I can't believe it. I mean I always knew you were fascinated by him but _this_?" He glared at Superman as if wishing for a club of Kryptonite to smack him with, and swung back to Brainy.

"Brainy, I went to Colu to get their permission for you to marry me!"


	15. Chapter 15

09/23/09

Day three of Clark+Brainy week.

It was really nice to write for this story again. I hope I got past the writer's block that was keeping me from it but only time will tell.

Enjoy!

Chapter 15

The smiles on the Legionnaires' faces stayed only a moment longer: not sure if what they'd heard had been some sort of joke or if Invisible Kid had actually been serious.

Soon enough though, the smiles all vanished when they realized he _was_. That is, except for Cham, whose grin only grew bigger. He seemed to think the entire thing was funny – even going so far as to ask Timber Wolf for popcorn only to get elbowed roughly in the chest by Phantom Girl.

In the center of it all, Brainy stared at Lyle for a long time. He first made sure his hearing was working properly, before reviewing the conversation in his mind and wondering if he was actually imagining or dreaming all of this.

First he did the complicated math problem test, several times. Then, when he ascertained that the answer didn't equal fish, or some other ridiculously illogical conclusion that sometimes happened in dreams, he moved on to a quick self-diagnostic. No viruses, no damage to his auditory systems or other faulty data that could lead to such a miscommunication could be found.

Lyle Norg, AKA Invisible Kid, his first friend, his best friend, had, in a somewhat backwards way, just proposed to him.

His friend's hands were still on his shoulders; holding on tightly, cold through his suit that eliminated body heat so he couldn't be infrared-scanned when invisible – but still gentle and familiar.

How many times had he felt these hands on his shoulders? Asking him for a favor, imploring him to tell him if something was wrong, demanding for answers or to leave the lab to be social for a change?

How many times in the least year had he wished to feel these hands again? To hear Lyle's voice? To just _see_ him?

For most of his time last year, Lyle had always been on his mind. He had locked himself away in the lab to concentrate on work and try to distract himself from the fact that Lyle was gone. When that option was taken away, he put everything into missions, soon spending time with his fellow Legionnaires without even realizing it; even though a good portion of his time was still spent in the lab.

Still, through it all, Lyle never left his mind, even when he was buried in the back of it.

Now he was here. Right before him in flesh and blood, instead of being just a holographic picture or a file on Computo. He was real and he loved him.

_Love_.

Brainy looked away from Lyle, possibly for the first time since he'd reappeared in his life, and shoved the star into his chest, forcing those familiar hands off of him to keep the star from falling.

"I'm sorry, Lyle."

Not looking at anyone, Brainy turned and fled the room.

---------------------------

The silence of Brainy's departure lasted a long time, until Phantom Girl walked forward and patted Lyle's shoulder.

"Don't sweat it, Kid. … You're still his best friend."

Lyle swung around and threw the star at Superman's chest.

Out of pure reflex, Superman caught it before it could hit his body or fall to the floor and shatter, barely suppressing the urge to _accidentally_ drop it afterwards.

"You ruined everything," Lyle spat at him.

Superman felt his eyes grow hot but pushed the feeling back, trying to stay calm, but the tone of his voice wouldn't go along with the façade. "You left."

"To court him properly. You can't so much _date_ a Coluan without asking for their hand in marriage! Let alone what you did to him," Lyle growled.

"I didn't do anything to him!" Superman shouted, not even noticing that Phantom Girl had phased the star out of his hands until he realized there was no crunch when they turned into fists.

"A likely story. Tell me this, _Man of Steel_, why is Brainy wearing your emblem like some sort of dog tag?" Lyle glared.

"I gave it to him, and it's not a dog tag," Superman defended.

"Just marking your territory – like a dog," Lyle sneered.

Bouncing Boy bounced in right before the two boys moved to go after the other.

"Hey you two, that's enough."

Saturn Girl joined him. "Nothing can be resolved like this."

"Yeah, Brainy can date who he wants," said Bouncing Boy, turning to Lyle. "Sorry buddy, but you should have told Brainy what you were doing… we all thought you were _dead_."

Lyle remained still for a bit, looking past the self-assigned referees at Superman, still looking like he was wishing for a Kryptonite bat. After a moment he straightened.

"Then you won Brainy over on an uneven playing ground. He thought I was dead and you moved in like a vulture. Well I'm back now, and I'm going to win his heart back, and there's nothing your brawn can do to beat my brains."

With a final smirk, Lyle turned, grabbed his bag and left the room whistling.

"Phantom Girl?" Superman asked in a soft growl.

The girl gulped before answering, "Yes?"

"Give me the star."

"Ah… no."

Phantom Girl phased away with it into the floor before he could protest.

--------------------------

Superman flew around New Metropolis to clear his head, then started to go around the world when that didn't work. He was about to pass Gotham for the third time when he stopped.

Just how did all of this make Brainy feel?

------------------------

When Superman got back to Legion headquarters, Lyle was standing in the hallway, just leaning against the wall a few feet from his and Brainy's room.

"What do you want?" Superman couldn't bring himself to be polite.

Lyle stared ahead a moment longer before pushing off the wall and turning to him.

"To talk to you." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder, away from the bedroom. "Can we walk?"

Biting his inner lip, Superman wanted to tell Lyle to beat it, but nodded and followed him away from the room.

"First of all, I guess I'm sorry," Lyle scratched his nose absently. "I mean, I shouldn't say you did anything to Brainy. He wouldn't have… with anyone if he didn't feel strongly about them."

At this Superman felt the urge to smile. Perhaps Lyle was more reasonable than he first appeared? Maybe he would accept his and Brainy's relationship and move on?

"But I gotta say that I don't think he really loves you," Lyle stated.

So much for that smile.

Not ceasing their walk, Lyle turned to him.

"I know that Brainy was in love with me before I left. He hugged me and kissed my cheek when I was okay after a close call with Validus."

Though Superman remembered the others telling him about the hug after Lyle's near death experience, he knew they had said nothing about the smooch. He almost felt that his friends had left him unprepared for this rivalry on purpose, but they couldn't have; they didn't know Lyle was returning any more than he did.

"He thought you were _dead_," Superman reasoned. "And you were his best friend."

"I _am_ his best friend," Lyle corrected. "And other Legionnaires have had near death experiences before. And after me I would say he was pretty close to Saturn Girl, wouldn't you say so?"

The 21st century hero had no choice but to nod.

"He wouldn't so much as shake her hand after she was nearly killed by this guy who basically turned off her powers for a bit," Lyle explained. "It would have meant a lot if he had simply touched my shoulder. But a hug and kiss? That's practically a proposal from a Coluan."

There was probably several things Superman could have said to that but he was too busy fixating on the image of Brainy hugging Lyle since the image of Brainy kissing Lyle, even on the cheek, might make his head explode.

"Of course there were other signs, but I don't want to have to analyze my entire relationship with Brainy to you," Lyle continued, now leading the walk back to the living quarters.

"You have no relationship," Superman grumbled.

"Not a romantic one," Lyle smirked. "Yet."

"How can you be so sure of yourself?" asked Superman, clenching his fists.

"Because I know Brainy loved me even before I was nearly killed. Even if he never realized it himself," Lyle told him confidently. "I could have had him any time I wanted then but I wanted to do things right. I knew he was unsure about emotions in general and would question it if I told him how I felt. So I wanted go the extra step just to show how much I truly cared for him. I wanted him to feel truly loved, even though I know he wouldn't appreciate me going to Colu to begin with. I wanted to show that I would risk it all for him and I'm _not_ about to back off now."

"Brainy is with me!" Superman all but shouted.

"Perhaps, but the way I see things you're nothing but a substitute for me," Lyle explained.

Eyes widening, Superman stopped walking.

Stopping as well, Lyle turned to him.

"Sorry, but Brainy was always fascinated with you. Perhaps it's because of your struggle against his ancestor or because of your influence on history, but either way you are, were… what tense would that be…. You are, _slash_ were his idol. Let me guess – he wanted to spend lots of time with you when you got here, right?"

Despite himself, Superman found himself remembering the excited (while trying not to show it) way Brainy would talk to him when he first began training with the Legion. How the Coluan had wanted to take him sightseeing and made time just for him when he wouldn't for anyone else.

"Whether you meant to or not you took advantage of that fascination," said Lyle. "He may even think he loves you but he hasn't forgotten about me. I know it. I'm going to take him back from you and there's nothing you can do about it oh _great_ and _powerful_ Man of Yesterday."

Not waiting for Superman to come to his senses and argue with him, Lyle turned invisible and left him alone in the hallways with his thoughts.

-----------------

The light of the bedroom he shared with Brainy was not on when Superman returned, but it was not dark. On the nightstand beside the bed, the star Lyle had brought into life flickered and dimly lit the room in a soft, delicate glow.

Though it didn't light up the entire room, the star illuminated its sole occupant as he dozed in the center of the bed, with his back turned towards the door.

With a frail smile, Superman silently floated over to the bed and sat beside Brainy. The smile grew in strength when he reached out and brushed some of Brainy's hair away from his face and tucked it behind his ear.

He paused when he saw the shadow his arm made over Brainy, blocking him from the star's light. He then winced and withdrew from him.

Could he really be a replacement?

Lyle's words rang in his ears and what little the others had told him about the human scientist only made him cringe.

Brainy had loved Lyle?

Did Brainy still love him?

Was he truly just a replacement?

Looking away from the slumbering Coluan, Superman recalled how _broken_ Brainy had looked when he said he needed a day alone; to remember. He had held onto him so tightly and promised him answers the next day.

Answers? There rarely seemed to be any answers.

Just more and more questions.

The light of the star drew Superman's attention again and soon he was looking down on Brainy. Oblivious to his gaze, Brainy continued sleeping with an arm curled under his head, the other curved in front of his chest, with his lips slightly parted –unaware that just looking at him soothed Superman, even with that star's light playing upon his skin.

His lips tingled as he remembered all the kisses he and Brainy had shared, as did his arms as he remembered their embraces. His ears warmed pleasantly as he remembered their 'I love you's and he smiled as he remembered the meaning of 'Adora'.

There was no way Brainy would be with him if he was just some sort of replacement. He wouldn't say he loved him or kiss him or share his body with him if it wasn't true, and if their love wasn't genuine.

Everything Lyle said was just to make him doubt himself and their relationship, to make it easier for Lyle to try and get between them.

Leaning down, Superman gently kissed Brainy's shoulder, running his hand over Brainy's arm and side. There was no way he could ever let this love slip out of his fingers.


	16. Chapter 16

09/02/11

Short chapter is short! But I said what I wanted to say. XD

Chapter 16

When Superman woke up it as morning, the star on the night stand was gone and Brainy was sitting cross-legged on the bed next to him, looking down at him with a sort of nervousness. He was almost tempted to fake falling back asleep to avoid that expression but was relieved that when Brainy saw that he was awake he smiled. Sitting up, he yawned and ran his fingers through his hair, feeling a few knots trying to resist, before turning fully to Brainy.

Though Brainy was still smiling at him, Superman couldn't help but feel a familiar nervousness when he reached for him, cupping the side of his face. A smile graced his own lips when Brainy leaned his face into the hand and cupped it with his own.

They stayed like that a moment, it ending when Brainy kissed Superman's palm and turned to him.

"I'm sure you must have a lot of questions."

"You could say that," Superman tried to say casually, his voice doing its best to betray him, "but I have no idea where to begin."

There was a pause, and then Brainy took hold of Superman's hand, pulling it away from his face, and held it in both of his own.

"Why don't I begin with background information and you can ask questions as they arise?"

Unable to trust his voice, Superman nodded.

In a possible, subconscious, attempt to comfort him, Brainy moved closer to Superman before he began his tale. He explained how he caught Lyle spying on him, how they began to talk, the circumstances of which Lyle came to the Legion and life once they began to work together after an initial rivalry.

Throughout most of the tale Brainy's voice held a tint of sadness. Longing or, possibly, regret or some other form of sadness but sadness none the less. He smiled slightly at memories where he and Lyle shared something; whether it was a prank Brainy somehow got pulled into, an experiment or something as simple as waking up to Lyle sleeping next to him on the couch in Lyle's lab. He smiled at these memories, in a way that Superman both loved and hurt at their cause, whether Brainy realized it or not.

It was almost painful to listen to how Lyle helped Brainy become the person he knew; the person he loved. How Lyle gave the Coluan his first experiences in friendship, companionship, forced him to become used to physical contact; even when it seemed like torture to him at the time.

Though it was painfully obvious, Superman had to ask.

"Did you love him?"

There had been an initial surprise at the question but no hesitance in giving his answer.

"Yes, I did."

It must have shown on Superman's face how much that admission stabbed at his heart for Brainy leaned in and kissed him softly.

"Past tense Clark; I still have great affection for him, I always will, but my heart belongs to you now."

Gently pulling Brainy in for another kiss, Superman couldn't stop some of Lyle's words from plaguing him; even as he held Brainy close after their lips parted.

"He's not going to give up easily."

"If he did he wouldn't be Lyle Norg."

"…"

"You have nothing to worry about Clark."

"That isn't going to stop me from worrying."

"I know, but it seemed like the thing to say."

They talked a bit longer, Brainy slowly migrating to sit in Superman's lap as he remained nestled in his arms. Reassurances and kisses were exchanged before they detangled and stood to see what the world would throw at them at breakfast.

Though it would seem that the world enjoyed throwing Lyle Norg at them; especially Brainy. Practically the moment they stepped through the doors to the dining room Brainy was tackled by an invisible force back into the hallway.

Firmly holding onto Brainy's shoulders, Lyle became visible again and looked the coluan in the eye with the utmost serious.

"I know you can't talk freely around the others but if you want me to over dramatically rescue you; just say the word and I'll whisk you away."

It was hard not to roll his eyes at absurdity of the suggestion, or smile at how it was almost as if Lyle had never left at all, but Brainy forced himself to frown. He reached over Lyle's arms and placed his thumbs on the center of Lyle's down turned hands on his shoulders. Pressing down with his thumbs he grabbed Lyle's thumbs with the rest of his own fingers and pulled them upwards.

"I don't need to be rescued."

"Never said you did," Lyle feigned innocence, protectively putting his hands under his arms once he was released.

"Brainy-" Superman followed them into the hallway, frowning when he saw them together.

"It's alright Superman, Lyle was just being over dramatic," Brainy headed back towards him.

"Do you always use each other's code names?" Lyle almost seemed to smirk, as if finding a weakness in their defenses.

It was Brainy's turn to smirk as he turned back towards Lyle, "We try to when in uniform. _Out _of uniform is a completely different story."

"Now that's just mean!" Lyle shouted as Brainy pushed a blushing Superman into the dining room.


	17. Chapter 17

09/03/11

Another short chapter but I got the set up I wanted. Please enjoy.

Chapter 17

Clark trusted Brainy, he really did. He knew Brainy loved him and when Brainy said Clark had nothing to worry about; he tried to take that to heart.

Unfortunately Lyle was doing his best to make any since of security Clark had shrivel up and die. That or get the Kryptonian to throw him through a wall; Clark wasn't really sure which.

Over the last few days Lyle would be outside Clark's and Brainy's room with some easy to eat breakfast for two to whisk Brainy of to the labs that much sooner. It was all under the excuse that Lyle had a lot of research and notes to go through with Brainy on the healing star, the miniature of which that Lyle made residing in the lab with those notes, plus equipment to unload, repair and old experiments to "take off the shelf" so to speak. There didn't seem to be an end to the excuses to get them alone in the lab together.

Even on days Brainy would work alone Clark would try to bring him lunch only to find that Lyle had beat him to the punch. He would walk in with them talking, often about the past seeing as Brainy seemed to avoid talking to Lyle about his time on Colu like the plague, occasionally laughing, which did nothing for Clark's confidence, or with Brainy scolding Lyle for using a beaker as a glass for his lemonade but the scolding always seemed to be light hearted with hidden affection.

The one day Clark managed to find Brainy alone in the lab, he was barely able to keep himself from tackling the small Coluan. As it was he swung Brainy's chair around to make it so they were face to face and kissed him without so much as a hello. He had one hand in Brainy's hair, the other holding him close and he could feel Brainy's arms wrap around him in return just as the door opened.

After Lyle shouted something about his "innocent eyes being tainted" Brainy had to talk Clark out of soldering the door shut with his heat vision.

If Lyle wasn't bad enough the Legion kept getting harassed with missions, everything from bank robberies to the Fatal Five took away whatever Lyle free time with Brainy, Clark would have had since the only real other time they had gotten lately was when they were sleeping. And it was literally when they were sleeping since one of them, usually Clark would be asleep before the other came to go to bed and then, as mentioned earlier, Lyle would abduct Brainy as room as they left the room.

Seeming to sense Clark's frustration, or possibly sharing it, Brainy found Clark sulking in their room after breakfast one day and they left Legion headquarters entirely for a real 31st century date. They went back to the park where they had their first unofficial date, ate the watermelon and strawberry cotton candy while walking the trails and sharing a soda. They ate out for lunch, saw a movie, rescued a cat from a tree, went somewhere nice for dinner and spent the entire night not sleeping.

It was almost unfair when the time came for Clark to return to the past. It was even worse when Brainy wouldn't let him weasel out of going.

"Clark, you can't spend all your time in the future. If you don't do that you're meant to do in the past then there won't be a reason for us to ever go get you in the first place," Brainy tried to reason.

"I still don't understand how that works," Clark grumbled.

"You wouldn't," Lyle pretended to whistle when Clark turned to glare at him; why did he have to be in Brainy's lab all the time anyway?

Gently turning Clark's face back towards him, Brainy slipped the glasses onto his lover's face.

"The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back."

"You could come with me," Clark tried to ignore Lyle's snort.

"Lois Lane's observational skills might not be highly regarded in this time, Clark, but even she would notice someone with green skin walking around the Daily Planet," Brainy chuckled.

As it always seemed to go; Brainy lost by winning the argument, sending Clark back to the past. He ignored Lyle and kissed Clark good bye before he left in the time bubble.

Unexpectedly, Lyle was silent for a moment after the time bubble was gone. When the silence was over, he turned to Brainy, his eyes serious.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Doesn't what hurt?"

"Your bond; long distances between bond partners can actually become physically painful, to the point where it can kill both of the partners. And a partner dying is practically a death sentence to the other. With Superman in the past, isn't it like he doesn't exist anymore?"

For a while Brainy stared at Lyle. He didn't want to admit that he hadn't thought it all through beyond initial panic. He also didn't want to admit this was their first time in separate times since they bonded.

It was very much like Lyle to know exactly what Brainy didn't want him to know.

"Even if that's the case it will take a while for it to affect you," Lyle theorized. "Maybe he'll come back before it does?"

The small hope was not enough to squish the worry that had been so easily dismissed with Clark's reassurances.

Lyle strode over to Brainy and gave him a gentle hug around the shoulders softly saying, "It's going to be okay."

Brainy almost thanked him until Lyle added, "Besides, if worse comes to worse you could always bond with me."

It was a very good thing that Lyle was an expert at hiding.


	18. Chapter 18

09/04/11

YAY for longer chapter! ... Excuse me, I need to hide now! *sprints away*

Chapter 18

The second morning Brainy awoke without Clark, his entire body ached. He tried to reason that maybe be slept funny or had spent too long hunched over files the previous day but the aching only got worse. By the end of the day he was hovering everywhere rather then walking to avoid as much muscle movement as possible.

Sleep, Brainy tried to tell himself, is a great healer. He went to bed early, skipping dinner in the lab with Lyle to get a jump start on that theory.

The following morning, Brainy had felt better but by the time he finished his breakfast sandwich with Lyle he felt as though he hadn't slept at all. But, stubbornness was a Coluan trait. He wouldn't let a little soreness get in the way of his experiments; he was Brainiac Five, a little things like genetics wouldn't get in his way.

When Lyle caught Brainy groaning at trying to shift his arm into tools he started to pester about going back to bed.

"I'm fine," Brainy was about to wave Lyle off but didn't want to expend the energy, instead he sent a half hearted glared at him.

"Brainy," Lyle crossed his arms, "You're hairless excuse for eyebrows are twitching with the effort of glaring at me."

"I'm just that annoyed," Brainy defended, honestly annoyed at Lyle bringing up his eyebrows yet again. He wondered if calling the things over Lyle's eyebrows caterpillars would be too overused from their previous conversations on the matter; then again it had been so long since hey had this conversation would it really matter?

"My eyebrows aren't caterpillars," Lyle answered the silent redundancy of it all. "They're of normal size for male humans. Don't try to change the subject."

"You're the one who brought up eyebrows," Brainy pointed out.

"My mistake; what will it take to get you into bed?"

"I think the last time you asked me something like this I punched you."

"Brainy, I'm serious."

"That's a first."

"Don't make me get Momma Saturn Girl."

"What's that term you used to use every time you pulled a prank the others wanted to know your location afterward?

"Tattle tale."

"Yes, that's the one; tattle tale."

"I'll gladly be the rat if it gets you into bed."

"Again, this sounds like some sort of innuendo."

"Trust me Brainy, I have yet to innuendo."

"Now it sounds like a dance."

"And this sounds like you avoiding the matter at hand."

Brainy sighed and rubbed his temples, something that only made him feel like he was developing arthritis in his fingers.

"Look, Lyle, there's nothing we can do about this. I need to get used to Clark being gone and the affects it has on me."

Imitating Brainy from earlier, Lyle sighed, sat next to him and added pressure to the bridge of his nose.

"I hate to say this Brainy but maybe Superman should come back or you go see him. There's got to be some way of arranging this so you don't act like some sort of wound down wind up toy every time you're apart. That is until I've won you back, then you wouldn't have to worry about ever being apart from your bond mate ever again."

Even rolling his eyes was somewhat a strain but Brainy did it anyway.

But Lyle didn't stop, turning his attention back to him before he spoke, "If you don't want to be codependent maybe you just need to make personally adjustments. Your mechanical half doesn't need but sleep but it's your organic half that's suffering. Sleep more, take more breaks, stay hydrated-"

"I'm not going on a camping trip Norg," Brainy winced when he rolled his eyes again. He avoided Lyle's pointed look.

"This isn't camping, it's learning to adapt," Lyle said. "Plus it doesn't hurt to try it; call it an experiment if you want but just do it, if only to make me stop bothering you."

"That last part should have been your opening argument."

"Oh hush, you know you love me."

In the end Brainy did go back to bed, treating the whole thing as an experiment. Both he and Lyle took notes on how long he slept verses how long it took for the pain to come back. When he had gone to sleep the night before he slept nine hours but the pain returned within an hour of waking up but when he napped for even a half an hour every two hours for the rest of that day, the rest of the waking hour and a half was relatively pain free.

The results were fine for days in the lab but it would seriously hinder his ability to go on missions or defend himself in the event of an attack. He had to find a way to counteract the pain.

The following day Lyle helped Brainy draw out some of the Coluan's blood for testing.

"Do you have any from before you bonded as a base?" Lyle asked as he stored some of the blood they wouldn't be working on right away.

"Yes," Brainy answered absent mindedly. "I keep some frozen incase I have a medical emergency that my healing capabilities can't handle on their own."

"Healing," Lyle mumbled in the same absent minded way before going to work with him. "Hopefully we have a solution before Superman comes back in three days; it would be annoying to have to halt the research for the two weeks he's going to be here. Plus if he hears about your "condition" he may never leave your side again."

"Don't make it sound like I'm pregnant."

"Heaven forbid; the only baby daddy you need if me."

"I'm going to have nightmares of that now, thank you so very much Norg."

"Hush, I'm imagining you in a maternity dress; it's a lot cuter then I originally thought it would be."

"Sometimes I wonder why I haven't killed you yet."

"It's because you love me."

"No, it must be something else."

"You can only swim in denial for so long, Querl."

It was the first time Lyle ever used his birth name and, as much as he never wanted to admit it, Brainy liked it. People, even those who knew his birth name, rarely ever used it. Even Clark called him Brainy more often then not. It was nice to hear it so casually, as if the nickname or title didn't even exist.

The Coluan turned to look at the human, who was smiling at Brainy in the way Lyle always had when he caught Brainy doing something Lyle always used to call a "moment of growth"; funny how he had never noticed how affectionate it looked before.

Brainy went back to work and didn't look at Lyle again until lunch time.

In the attempt to get as much testing done as possible, Brainy probably over exerted himself for the following morning he couldn't bring himself to get out of bed. He felt so sore, hot even though he was shivering and a little nauseous.

Eventually Lyle came in, looking for him and threatened to magnetize his bed if he even considered leaving it except for the bathroom. The human scientist realized how unnecessary the threat was when the coluan didn't make any protests.

After Brainy threw up breakfast, Lyle kept him on a liquid diet for the rest of the day, with some crackers if he felt up to them. He stayed with him the entire day, minus food runs, insisting that he bore Brainy with one sided conversation until Brainy got so annoyed he just had to heal to get away from him.

For the most part Brainy didn't mind. He could only recall being sick once before in his life and that was when he was still on Colu. He had woken in a room so clean and sterile he thought someone had sent him to an asylum. Even Lyle's random ramblings were a heavenly choir in comparison to that silence.

Then next day everything was a blur. He remembered someone, more then likely Lyle, trying to get him to drink something but he wasn't sure if he ever did. He could also recall Lyle carding his fingers through his hair and putting the blankets back on him when he kicked him off but other then that, nothing.

When everything was in focus again Brainy felt something lying on his stomach. Careful not to move too much he looked down to see the star Lyle made him cushioned on top of him by a half a dozen pillows.

"I had to break that out of your safe," Lyle told him, sitting up so he was level with Brainy, having been on the floor. "You calmed down almost the minute I walked into the room with it. We're going to have to find a way for you to carry that around the next time Superman leaves."

With a chuckle Lyle joked, "Maybe we could put it in your chest like Ironman?"

It still hurt to smile but Brainy managed it. He still felt so tired.

Seeming to understand, Lyle reached forward and petted Brainy's hair a little with a soft smile, "Just relax and I'll get you something solid to eat."

Lyle stood and adjusted Brainy's covers, careful of not jostling the star before leaving the room.

When he was gone, Brainy gently lifted the star and held it as he looked over the side of the bed. Where Lyle had been lying was a pillow and a couple of blankets.

Holding the star to his chest, Brainy couldn't understand why he started crying.


	19. Chapter 19

09/05/11

Another short chapter but I said what I wanted to say.

Clark's opening line totally stolen from MacKenzieX from DeviantArt. XD

Chapter 19

"Could you repeat that for us son," Jonathon Kent stared at his son, wondering if the day had come for him to getting a hearing aid.

"My boyfriend's best friend is back from the dead and wants to marry him," Clark repeated, twirling his fork around over his pie.

No hearing aid needed apparently. Just an explanation of what all that meant, if only for the sake of his sanity.

"Though I guess Lyle, Brainy's best friend, wasn't actually dead," Clark continued. "He was just missing because he went to Brainy's home planet to get their permission to marry him. I guess on Colu you're supposed to get permission to marry someone before you can even date them."

"My, that's what I call dedication," Martha sat beside her son with fresh cups of coffee for the three of them.

"Ma," Clark was ashamed how much of a whine that sounded like.

Smiling, Martha put her hand over her son's and gave it a squeeze.

"Clark, I do admire what Lyle did for Brainy but from you tell us it sounds like he did more harm them good. His friends, Brainy included, all thought he was dead and I'm sure it hurt them deeply. If your father had run off to get my family's permission and didn't come back for a year I would have killed him."

It was weird how dead pan Clark's Mother looked when she said that. He didn't want to take threat seriously.

Jonathon laughed, "Trust me Clark, she would have. And I never would have gotten her family's permission anyway. They knew she was too good for me."

With a blush, Martha gently hit Jonathon's arm, "Oh stop that."

"It's true. You were their pride and joy; you deserve and still deserve nothing but the best," Jonathon took the hand that struck him and kissed it.

"I did get the best," Martha smiled and kissed his cheek, "in the entire world." She smiled more and kissed Clark's forehead. "Not to mention the universe."

"Ma," Clark blushed but smiled at her and his father. He hoped he and Brainy were like that when they had been married for many years.

The thought of marrying Brainy made Clark's face almost hurt he was smiling so much. He could barely stand the fact that he hadn't asked the younger boy to do so yet but he had yet to find a suitable ring.

Almost unwittingly Clark wondered if Lyle had gotten Brainy a ring. He wondered what the human scientist thought would suit the boy they both loved. He also, almost dreaded, the thought that whoever had been testing Lyle for the year he was gone had given their permission for Lyle to marry Brainy. It made him wonder what that person or persons would have thought of him marrying Colu's pride and joy.

Superman was both excited and anxious when he returned to Legion Headquarters. He was, of course, looking forward to seeing Brainy but dreading hearing about all the possible stunts Lyle pulled while he was gone.

In the past Superman had always preferred hearing bad news first, that way the good news could cheer him up. He wasn't sure how he felt about running into Lyle on the way to his and Brainy's room though.

The spy legionnaire was flat out glaring at him, which he had done on multiple occasions but never to the point had it looked like he would try to cut off Superman's head with the tray of food he was holding.

"You're off my Christmas card list," Lyle suddenly declared. "Not that you were ever on it but if you were you'd be off so fast your head would spin!"

"Okay," Superman said slowly, unsure of how else to respond.

Slowly Lyle took in a deep breath, trying to calm him himself but he couldn't stop glaring at the man of steel or keep the anger out of his voice.

"Do you understand Coluan bonds at all?"

"Brainy explained them to me a little-"

"A little? You didn't care enough to find out more about something that could kill Brainy?"

"Kill? What are you-"

"If you knew anything you wouldn't have left him!" Lyle shouted, the contents of the tray shaking. "You know how sick he's been since you left, how much pain he had to suffer, all because of you?"

Suddenly Lyle just threw the tray, splattering soup and small sandwiches onto the floor and walls of the hallway and onto Superman as the tray just bounced off the 21st century hero's chest but neither of them seemed to care.

"You might be strong but you're stupid," Lyle stated, voice shaking a little. "Brain always wins over brawn; I just have to remember that."

The human scientist sighed and brushed back his hair, looking at the mess he caused.

"Just go, hang out with Brainy; he'll recover quicker with you around," Lyle moved to walk past him, away from Brainy's room. "Just don't get too comfortable because the person who belongs at Brainy's side is me."

Not turning to face him, Superman, with a shaky voice, asked, "Did they say yes? Did the Coluans who tested you say you could marry Brainy?"

Superman could almost hear the smirk in Lyle's voice, "Yeah; I have the Coluan Seal of Approval while you would never get anything more from them then a shot of kryptonite to the head."

As Superman listened to Lyle walk away, he couldn't stop staring at the mess, at least the one on the floor.


	20. Chapter 20

09/09/11

Another shorty.

Chapter 20

Slowly, Brainy woke up when the door opened, making sure he was still holding onto the star and rubbed his eyes a little before looking up. Though still very tired, he couldn't help but smile even as his voice croaked, "Clark."

Barely able to manage it Superman returned his smile, though he kept looking at the nest of pillows and blankets on the floor.

"How bad was it?"

Brainy swallowed, "It wasn't-"

"Don't try to brush it off," Superman cut him off. "Please."

With a sigh, Brainy beckoned Superman closer, frowning when he sat on a chair across from him.

"It was bad; I basically became unable to function and I don't believe I was very coherent during the last day."

"Oh god," Superman groaned, burying his face into his hands. "You said that the bond could hurt you but I forgot completely about it. I'm such an idiot; I'm so sorry Brainy, I never should have left. I-"

Stretching out his arm, Brainy flicked Superman in the forward to make him stop and did it again to make him look at him.

"You stop blaming yourself this instant," Brainy growled with all the strength he could muster. "I didn't take any precautions. I told you to go. I could have gone see you at any time I felt like it but I didn't. You are in no way responsible for my decisions."

All Superman could do was stare at him.

Now free to roll his eyes without pain. Brainy took advantage of it and grabbed Superman's arm, pulling him towards the bed.

"We will figure out a way around this."

Superman slid to his knees and rested his head on the mattress, against Brainy's chest as he tried to ignore the shining of the star right next to his face.

"I never wanted to cause you any pain."

"I know," Brainy smiled and ran his fingers through Superman's hair.

After a moment Superman looked up.

"I, um, made Lyle drop the food he was going to bring you. Want me to bring you something?"

"Did you make him drop it or did he throw it at you?" Brainy asked in all seriousness.

Superman just laughed as he stood, "I'll get you something to eat." He bent back down to give Brainy a quick kiss before heading back out of the room, the door staying open a moment longer then needed.

"You threw it at him, didn't you?" Brainy asked after the door shut.

"In my defense, it couldn't hurt him," Lyle made himself visible with a fresh tray of food, sitting on his blankets next to Brainy's bed, pushing the chair into a make shift table for the two of them.

"The food maybe not but you obviously said something," Brainy accused.

"I always say something," Lyle smiled, pouring a glass of orange juice from the pitcher he brought.

"Norg."

"Ouch, the last name, not the last name; anything but the last name!"

"Norg."

"I yelled at him for the pain he caused you."

"He didn't-"

"I know; I was snooping in on your conversation. You have your view on what happened and I have mine."

"You're hopeless."

"-ly in love with you; I know. Now sit up and eat before I force eat you."

It took a moment, and Lyle's help, but Brainy was able to sit up and stayed up due to Lyle propping a bunch of pillows around him, goodness knows where they came from because he could swear there weren't that many pillows in the room before. He didn't feel very hungry but he knew it had been a while since he'd eaten and he didn't want to worry Clark or Lyle any further.

As Brainy ate, Lyle began to peel an orange.

"In all seriousness, and yes I can be serious, we need to think of a more permanent solution for this. As much as I want Florence Nightingale syndrome to work in my favor we can't have you in bed all the time. At least not in bed sick; there are much better reasons to be in bed for - no trying to fork me until we're married Brainy; I'm as innocent as freshly fallen snow."

"I don't think it's considered forking when it's meant as stabbing," Brainy returned to using his fork to eat, keeping it from being a possible murder weapon. "And where does this snow fall, in the sewer?"

"That's just mean Brainy, just plain mean," Lyle fake cried.

Superman chose that moment to come in with another tray of food. He stared at the two scientists and the two scientists stared back at him.

"Orange?" Lyle offered him a slice.

"Don't take it, he probably poisoned it," Brainy patted the spot on the bed next to him only to push Lyle back down to the floor when he tried to sit there.

"Like I would try to poison your boyfriend right in front of you," Lyle pretended like he hadn't just been pushed and that the floor was really comfortable. "Why do you think I am, stupid? Wait; don't answer that, the answer might make me cry."

"At least you learn, though at a very slow rate," Brainy stretched out his arm and pulled Superman further into the room until he came and sat beside him on his own. He took the mug of hot coco from Superman's tray and sipped it, noting how it made him smile in a relieved sort of way.

Though the scientists seemed to think nothing of it, Superman never felt more awkward. He had no idea what to say or what to think of this; his rival in the room, his bedroom that he shared with his boyfriend, just sitting on the floor eating oranges as if it was perfectly normal for the three of them to hang out, even right after Lyle had yelled and thrown things at him.

As Lyle chewed a slice of orange that was hanging out of his mouth, he peeled off another slice and, in a very not sneaky fashion, put it onto Brainy's plate.

Rolling his eyes, Brainy put the slice onto Superman's tray.

"Hey, don't give my love to Superman, that's just gross," Lyle shouted, either not noticing or not caring that the orange slice he had been chewing on fell to his lap.

Brainy rolled his eyes, "It was an orange slice."

"My love was in that orange slice," Lyle pouted. "You wouldn't give away a banana if Superman gave it to you, now would you."

"Lyle, I want you to think over that food choice," Brainy smirked, "slowly."

In a moment Lyle was rolling about on the floor, screaming and cursing about "mental images" and "nightmares".

"Does he always over react like that?" asked Superman.

"He should give up science and join a theatre troupe," Brainy sipped his hot chocolate.

With a smile, Superman ate the orange slice.


End file.
